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CIHM/ICMH 

Microfiche 

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CIHIVI/ICMH 
Collection  de 
microfiches. 


Canadian  institute  for  Historicai  Microreproductions  Institut  Canadian  de  microreproductions  historiques 


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suivant : 

BibliothAque  nationale  du  Canada 


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Les  cartes  ou  les  planches  trop  grandes  pour  Atre 
reproduites  en  un  seul  clichA  sont  fiimAes  A 
partir  de  I'angle  supArieure  gauche,  de  gauche  A 
droite  et  de  haut  en  bas,  en  prenant  le  nombre 
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illustre  la  mAthode  : 


1  2  3 


6 


^  ^  .  \ 


Monument  to  General  Warren  on    Breeij's   Hi 
•.  .     '  Krected  1794. 


LL, 


M  • 


•   1/ 


p 


HISTORY 


OF  THE 


lATTLE  OF  BuNKER'S  [Breed's]  HiLL, 


On  June  17,  1775. 


FROM  AUTHENTIC  SOURCES  IN  PRINT 
AND  MANUSCRIPT, 


BY 


GEORGE  E.  ELLIS. 


ITH  A  MAP   OF   THE   BATTLE-GROUND,   AND    AN    ACCOUNT  _OF^  THE 
MONUMENT    ON    BREED'S    HILL.  _-^ 

%*  2  ^^, 


BOSTON:      \.%%.       ,^.^-0 

LOCKWOOD,  BROOKS,  &   COMPAl^??^"^ 

1875. 


,? 


•♦^«» 


W'--'* 


!'*«*'., 


s^^iv 


f> 


I,     ; 


> 


*   k 


Co^yrighty 

George  E.  Ellis. 

1875. 


»>(■• 


^-^ 


j^- 


CatJilriilge : 
Press  of  JoJm  Wilson  6*  Son, 


fi:.^fe>-^ 


•> 


:    s 


THE 


BATTLE  OF  BUNKER'S  [BREED'S]  HILL. 


PREPARATIONS. 


^THHE  reader  of  the  following  pages  is 
-*-  supposed  to  be  informed  of  the  state 
of  affairs  in  and  around  Boston  at  the  time 
of  the  opening  of  hostilities  at  Lexington  and 
Concord,  between  the  provincials  and  the 
royal  forces.  The  expedition  sent  into  the 
country  by  the  British  commander  on  April 
19th,  to  seize  or  destroy  the  military  supplies 
which  had  been  gathered  at  Concord,  under 
the  full  prescience  that  they  would  be  needed 
in  the  final  rupture  that  could  no  longer  be 
averted,  was  but  partially  successful  in  its  ob- 
jects, was  inglorious  in  its  whole  character 
and  results  to  the  invaders,  and  decisive  only 
in  its  effects  upon  the  purpose  and  resolve  of 
an  outraged  people. 

The  Continental  Congress  at  Philadelphia 
was  still  deliberating,  averting  a  declaration 


The  Battle  of  Bunker's  {Breed's]  Hill. 


i 

f 


1 


which  would  break  the  last  bond  of  allegi- 
ance to  the  mother  country,  and  vainly  hoping 
still  to  settle  the  strife  by  negotiation.  Re- 
inforcements of  foreign  troops  and  supplies 
were  constantly  arriving,  in  Boston.  Howe, 
Clinton,  and  Burgoyne  came,  as  generals,  on 
the  25th  of  May.  Bitterness,  ridicule,  and 
boasting,  with  all  the  irritating  taunts  of  a 
mercenary  soldiery,  were  freely  poured  on  the 
patriots  and  on  the  "  mixed  multitude  "  which 
compos  ^d  the  germ  of  their  army  yet  to  be. 
The  British  forces  had  cooped  themselves  up 
in  Boston,  and  the  provincials  determined 
that  they  should  remain  there,  with  no  mode 
of  exit  save  by  the  sea.  The  pear-shaped 
peninsula,  hung  to  the  mainland  only  by  the 
stem  called  the  *"  Neck,"  over  which  the  tide- 
waters sometimes  washed,  was  equally  an 
inconvenient  position  for  crowding  regiments 
in  warlike  array,  and  a  convenient  one  for  the 
extemporized  army  which  was  about  to  be- 
leaguer, them  there. 

The  islands  in  the  harbor,  which  were,  for 
the  most  part,  covered  with  trees  and  grow- 
ing crops  of  hay  and  grain,  with  horses,  sheep, 
and  cattle,  were  envied  prizes  for  the  soldiers, 


If 
If 


PreparatioJis,  5 

who  lacked  fuel,  fodder,  "^nd  fresh  meat.  The 
daring  enterprise  of  those  who  lived  in  the 
settlements  near  on  the  mainland,  attempting 
the  ventures  by  night,  or  in  the  broad  light 
of  day,  had  stripped  these  islands  of  their 
precious  wealth,  much  to  the  chagrin  of  the 
invaders.  The  light-house  in  the  harbor  was 
afterwards  burned.  In  the  skirmishes  brought 
on  by  these  exciting  but  perilous  feats,  espe- 
cially in  that  attending  the  successful  removal 
of  stock  and  hay  on  Noddle's  Island,  now 
East  Boston,  and  on  Hog  Island,  the  pro- 
vincials obtained  some  valuable  implements 
and  muniments,  especially  four  4-pounders 
and  twelve  swivels.  And  from  this  begin- 
ning, all  through  the  seven  years  of  war  that 
followed,  the  rebels  were  largely  indebted  for 
their  weapons  and  accoutrements,  and  much 
other  material  of  prime  necessity  and  value  to 
them,  to  their  raids  and  privateering  successes 
against  the  enemy. 

The  town  of  Charlestown,  which  lay  under 
the  enemy's  guns,  had  contained  a  popula- 
tion of  between  two  and  three  thousand.  The 
interruption  of  all  the  employments  of  peace, 
and   the   proximity  of  danger,  had  brought 


21ie  Battle  of  Bunker's  \Breed's\  Hill, 


i\ 


I 


poverty  and  suffering  upon  the  people.  They 
had  been  steadily  leaving  the  town,  with  such 
of  their  effects  as  they  could  carry  with  them. 
It  proved  to  be  well  for  them  that  they  had 
acted  upon  the  warning.  It  would  seem  that 
there  were  less  than  two  hundred  of  its 
inhabitants  remaining  in  it  at  the  time  of  the 
battle,  when  the  flames  kindled  by  the  enemy 
and  bombs  from  a  battery  on  Copp's  Hill  laid 
it  in  ashes. 

On  the  third  day  after  the  affair  at  Concord, 
the  Provincial  Congress  again  assembled, 
voted  to  raise  at  once  13,000  men,  to  rally  at 
Cambric]  ^,s.  .nd  the  neighborhood,  and  asked 
aid  froixi  /  j  other  provinces,  to  which  Con- 
necticut, I  lode  Island,  and  New  Hampshire 
responded.  The  forts,  magazines,  and  arse- 
nals, such  as  they  then  were,  were  secured 
for  the  country.  Then,  for  the  first  time,  the 
title  of  enemies  became  the  synonyme  of  the 
English,  military  or  civil,  and  of  those  of 
tory  proclivities  w^ho  sympathized  with  them. 
General  Gage,  the  commander,  was  denounced 
as  the  agent  of  t;  ranny  and  oppression.  An 
account  of  the  affair  on  April  19th  was  sent 
to  England,  with  an  address  closing  with  the 


The  Provincial  Army.  7 

words,  ''Appealing  to  Heaven  for  the  justice 
of  our  cause,  we  determine  to  die  or  be  free." 

By  advice  received  from  Lord  Dartmouth, 
the  head  of  the  War  Department,  General 
Gage  issued  a  proclamation  on  the  12th  of 
June,  in  which  he  declared  the  discontents  to 
be  in  a  state  of  rebellion,  offered  a  full  pardon 
to  all,  with  the  exception  of  Hancock  and 
Samuel  Adams,  who  would  lay  down  their 
arms  and  bow  to  his  authority,  and  announced 
that  martial  law  was  now  in  force. 

This  proclamation,  issued  on  the  first  day 
of  the  week,  was  to  be  illustrated  by  a  fearful 
commentary  before  another  Sunday  came. 


THE   PROVINCIAL    ARMY. 

Of  the  15,000  men  then  gathered,  by  the 
cry  of  war,  at  Cambridge  and  Roxbury,  all 
virtually,  but  not  by  formal  investment,  under 
the  command  of  General  Ward,  nearly  10,000 
belonged  to  Massachusetts,  and  the  remainder 
to  New  Hampshire,  Rhode  Island,  and  Con- 
necticut. They  have  been  designated  since, 
at  various  times  and  by  different  writers, 
under  the  extreme  contrast  of  terms,  as  an 


8 


The  Battle  of  Bunker's  [Breed's]  HilL 


I  'I 


'III 


"organized  army,"  and  a  "mob."  Either  of 
these  terms  would  be  equally  inappropriate. 
The  circumstances  under  which  the  men  who 
were  to  constitute  our  army  were  drawn 
together,  and  the  guise  in  which  they  came, 
without  other  concert  or  preparation  than  a 
wide-spread  sense  that  almost  any  day  with 
its  alarm  and  outrage  might  summon  them 
from  field,  barn,  and  workshop,  will  best  define 
and  describe  them  as  they  present  them- 
selves before  us  now.  The  hardships  they 
were  to  bear  and  the  services  they  were  to 
perform  may  secure  to  them  as  rightful  a 
claim  to  be  called  soldiers  as  if  they  had  been 
drilled  in  Pickering  or  Steuben's  manual,  and 
had  been  accoutred  and  armed  with  all  the 
skill  of  a  contractor  and  from  all  the  resources 
of  an  arsenal.  Our  troops  were  "minute- 
men  "  extemporized  into  fragmentary  com- 
panies and  skeleton  regiments.  The  officers, 
chosen  on  the  village-green  or  in  its  public- 
house,  paying  for  the  honor  by  a  treat,  or 
perhaps  because  they  kept  the  premises  where 
the  treat  could  be  most  conveniently  fur- 
nished, were  not  commissioned  or  ranked  as 
the  leaders  of  an  army  for  campaign  service. 


The  Provincial  Army, 


The  yeomen  of  town  and  village  had  not  come 
tocfcther  at  the  summons  of  a  commander-in- 

o 

chief  through  adjutant,  herald,  or  advertise- 
ment. They  came  unbidden,  at  an  alarm 
from  the  bell  on  their  meeting-house,  or  from 
a  post-rider,  or  from  the  telegrams  transmitted 
by  tongue  and  ear.  And  they  came  for  what 
they  were  and  as  they  were,  with  their  Hght 
summer  clothing,  in  shirt  and  frock  and 
apron  ;  with  what  was  left  from  their  last 
meals  in  their  pantries  packed  with  a  few 
"  notions  "  in  sack  or  pillow-case,  and  with 
the  ducking-guns,  fowling-pieces,  or  shaky 
muskets  used  in  olcf  times  against  the  vermin 
and  game  in  the  woods  and  the  Indian  skulk- 
ing in  the  thicket.  And  for  the  most  part 
they  were  as  free  to  go  away  as  they  had  been 
to  come.  They  were  enlisted  after  a  fashion, 
some  prime  conditions  of  which  were  their 
own  convenience  or  pleasure.  They  might 
stay,  as  some  of  them  expressed  it,  ''for  a 
spell,  to  see  what  was  going  on  in  camp,"  or 
they  might  plead  the  state  of  their  farms,  or 
the  condition  of  their  families,  as  a  reason  — 
not  an  excuse  —  for  going  home,  with  the 
promise  of  a  return  better  prepared  for  what 


lo        The  Battle  of  Bunker's  \Brced''s\  Hill. 

might  be  wanted  of  them.  Such  of  them  as 
came  from  the  seaboard  might  bring  with 
them  old  sails  for  tents,  while  the  midsum- 
mer days  made  it  scarcely  a  hardship  to  many 
to  have  only  the  heavens  for  a  roof.  Gener- 
ally their  towns  were  expected  to  keep  them 
supplied  with  food. 

The  men  who  made  the  centre  and  the 
flanks  of  the  camp  at  Cambridge  constituted 
an  irregular  and  undisciplined  assemblage, 
with  the  spirit  and  intent  of  a  military  host, 
but  not  yet  organized  into  an  army.  They 
were  without  accoutrements  or  uniform,  with 
no  commissary,  no  military  chest,  no  hospi- 
tals, no  roll-call,  no  camp  routine.  The 
Provincial  Congress  had  the  matter  of  organ- 
ization under  debate  two  days  before  the  battle 
in  Charlestown,  and  had  appointed  a  com- 
mittee **  to  consider  the  claims  and  preten- 
sions of  the  colonels."  Recruits  and  stragglers 
were  continually  coming  in ;  and  many  group- 
ings on  the  scene  might  have  suggested  a 
picnic,  had  such  a  thing  then  been  known,  for 
there  were  not  wanting  mothers,  daughters, 
and  sisters,  as  lookers-on  among  them.  A 
most  characteristic  feature  of  the  local  and 


The  Provincial  Army. 


II 


traditional  usages  of  Massachusetts  is  illus- 
trated in  the  fact  that  of  the  company  of 
minute-men  in  Danvers,  Asa  Putnam,  a  dea- 
con of  the  church,  was  chosen  captain,  and 
the  Rev.  Mr.  Wadsworth,  the  pastor,  his  lieu- 
tenant. 

The  forces  then  mustered  at  Cambridge  as 
a  central  camp,  and,  stretching  from  the  left 
at  Chelsea  almost  round  to  Dorchester  on  the 
right,  for  nearly  three  quarters  of  a  circle, 
were  indeed  not  organized,  nor  yet  had  they 
any  characteristic  of  a  mere  mob.  They  com- 
bined in  fact  four  independent  armies,  united 
in  resistance  to  a  foreign  enemy.  They  cer- 
tainly did  not  constitute  a  national  army,  for 
j  there  was  as  yet  no  nation  to  adopt,  maintain, 
and  command  them.  They  were  not  under 
the  authority  of  the  Continental  Congress,  for 
the  authority  of  that  Congress  was  not  as  yet 
acknowledged,  nor  had  that  Congress  as  yet 
recognized  those  forces,  nor  decided  that  it 
[meant  to  come  to  the  fight,  and  so  would  have 
leed  of  an  army.  General  Ward  was  in  com- 
land  of  the  Massachusetts  soldiers.  The 
few  Hampshire  regiments  had  been  put 
temporarily,  and  for  the  occasion,  under  his 


"I 


12 


The  Battle  of  Bunker's  [Breed's]  Hill 


■k 


m 


orders.  The  soldiers  coming  with  their  offi- 
cers from  Connecticut  and  Rhode  Island  were 
not  under  the  command  of  Ward,  save  as  the 
friendly  purpose  which  led  them  to  volunteer 
their  arms  in  defence  of  a  sister  colon),  would 
be  accompanied  by  the  courtesy  that  would 
make  them  subordinate  allies.  Each  of  the 
Provinces  had  raised,  commissioned,  and  as- 
sumed the  supply  of  its  respective  forces,  hold- 
ing them  subject  to  their  several  orders. 
After  the  battle  in  Charlestown,  the  Com- 
mittee of  War  in  Connecticut  ordered  their 
generals,  Spencer  and  Putnam,  while  they 
were  on  the  territory  of  this  Province,  to  re- 
gard General  Ward  as  the  commander-in- 
chief,  and  suggested  to  Rhode  Island  and 
New  Hampshire  to  issue  the  same  instruc- 
tions to  their  soldiers. 

These  provincial  troops  also  were  respec- 
tively almost  as  loosely  organized  and  officered 
as  was  the  combined  army  which  they  helped 
to  constitute.  Their  field-officers  held  their 
places  at  the  favor  of  the  privates,  and  were 
liable  to  be  superseded  or  disobeyed  ;  while 
even  after  Washington  took  the  command  of 
the  adopted  army,  he  was  constantly  annoyed 


'I 

! 


The  Provincial  Army. 


13 


and  provoked  by  the  obstinate  resolution  of 
the  soldiers  to  assign  place  and  rank  accord- 
ing to  their  own  inclinations  and  partialities. 

It  is  evident  that  foices  composed  of  such 
elements,  drawn  together  by  the  excitement 
of  the  hour,  and  subject  at  any  time  to  dis- 
cord and  disintegration,  could  act  in  concert 
only  by  yielding  themselves  to  the  influence 
of  the  spirit  which  had  summoned  them  from 
farm  and  workshop  at  the  busiest  season  of 
the  year,  when  each  of  them  was  most  needed 
at  home.  Yet  many  of  those  provincial  sol- 
diers, though  undisciplined  by  any  thing  like 
regular  service,  were  by  no  means  unused  to 
the  severities  and  exactions  of  a  military  life, 
having  had  experience  in  the  Indian  and 
French  wars.  They  had  learned,  above  all 
the  other  accomplishments  of  their  profession, 
the  art  of  covering  themselves,  especially  their 
|legs,  behind  an  earthen  screen,  the  butt  of 
tree,  a  thicket  of  bushes,  or  a  stone  wall. 
One  regiment  of  artillery,  with  nine  field- 
|[3ieces,  had  been  raised  in  Massachusetts,  and 
)ut  under  command  of  the  famous  engineer, 
'olonel  Gridley.  But  this  was  not  yet  full 
lor  thoroughly  organized.     A  self-constituted 


14        The  Battle  of  Bunker^ s  [Breed^s]  Hill, 


;i  ■\ 


'  I    i 
li'i'i 

% 


Provincial  Congress  discharged  the  legislative 
functions,  and  a  Committee  of  Safety,  elected 
by  that  congress,  filled  the  executive  place  of 
Governor  and  Council,  confining  its  directions 
chiefly  to  military  affairs.  There  was  also  a 
Council  of  War,  with  an  undefined  range  as 
to  advice  and  authority,  sometimes  mischiev- 
ously interfering  with  or  confusing  or  cross- i 
ing  the  arrangements,  advice,  and  measures] 
of  the  Committee. 

General  Artemas  Ward  was  a  conscientious! 
and  judicious  patriot.  In  the  French  war  he 
had  earned  some  military  experience  and| 
fame.  He  was  in  the  expedition  under  Gen- 
eral Abercrombie,  and  returned  with  the  rank| 
of  lieutenant-colonel.  In  his  civil  and  repre- 
sentative offices  he  had  warmly  espoused  thej 
cause  of  his  country.  On  October  27,  1774J 
the  Provincial  Congress,  in  which  he  was  a 
delegate,  appointed  him  a  general  officer,  and! 
on  May  19  following,  Commander-in-chiefj 
As  such  he  served  at  Cambridge  till  the  arj 
rival  of  Washington.  On  the  very  day  of  the] 
battle  in  Charlestown,  when  the  great  chiefj 
tain  was  selected  for  his  high  service.  Ware 
was  chosen  by  the  Continental  Congress  aj 


The  Provincial  Army, 


15 


its  first  major-general.  Though  he  was  only 
in  his  forty-eighth  year  when  he  was  burdened 
with  the  responsibility  of  the  opening  war- 
fare, his  body  was  infirm  from  disease  and 
exposure. 

Lieutenant-General  Thomas,  two  years  the 
senior  of  Ward,  was  second  in  command. 
He  was  distinguished  for  talents,  patriotism, 
and  military  qualities.  He  accepted  his  com- 
mission on  May  27.  During  the  siege  of 
Boston,  that  followed  the  battle  in  Charles- 
town,  he  commanded  a  brigade  at  Roxbury, 
in  proximity  to  the  British  lines.  He  after- 
wards took  possession  of  and  intrenched  Dor- 
chester Heights,  which  bore  a  similar  relation 
and  position  to  Boston  on  the  south  as  did 
those  of  Charlestown  on  the  north,  and  he 
was  thus  the  instrument  of  driving  the  Brit- 
ish soldiers  from  the  town.  He  died  in  May, 
1776,  while  in  command  in  Canada. 

General  Seth  Pomeroy,  likewise  famous  in 
the  border  wars,  continued  to  serve  under  the 
appointment  of  the  Provincial  Congress. 

General  Israel  Putnam  preceded  his  Con- 
necticut troops  in  hurrying  to  the  scene  of 
war  on  the  news  of  the  affair  at  Lexington 


n 


Wi 


1 6        T/ie  Battle  of  Bwiker's  {Breed  's\  HilL 

and  Concord.  His  men  soon  followed  him, 
with  like  enthusiasm.  The  New  Hampshire 
troops,  on  their  arrival  at  Medford,  made 
choice  of  Colonel  John  Stark  as  their  leader. 
Colonel  Nathaniel  Greene  commanded  a  regi- 
ment from  Rhode  Island.  "^ 


THE   SCENE   AND    ITS    SURROUNDINGS. 

The  steady  processes  and  transformations 
by  which  time,  expansive  growth,  the  neces- 
sities of  crowded  human  life,  enterprise,  and 
miprovement  have  changed  the  natural  feat- 
ures of  the  scene  now  to  be  recalled,  may 
require  some  effort  from  those  now  on  the 
stage  to  reproduce  its  distinctive  features. 
On  no  spot  of  this  earth  have  such  processes 
wrought  more  effectually  than  in  the  neigh- 
borhood of  Boston.  The  visitor  to  the  field 
of  Waterloo  is  baffled  in  his  efforts  to  trace 
the  manoeuvres  of  its  great  day,  even  by  so 
slight  a  change  in  its  natural  features  as  the 
removal  of  a  ridge  of  earth  to  build  the  mound 
on  which  rests  the  memorial  of  the  Belgic 
lion.  But  the  levelling  of  hill-tops,  the  nar- 
rowing of  river-courses  by  piers  and  wharves, 


the< 

sand, 

plant 

mam 

surro 

thirt3 

the  t 

crowi 

lines 

there 

took 

summ 

name 

reduc( 

that  f< 

to  be 

are  vi« 

shaft, 

ing  in 

may  v\ 

reprod 

ures  o 

prime 

gaze  uj 

now  is 

restore 


The  Scene  and  its  Sitrrotmdings, 


17 


the  extension  of  bridges,  the  fiUing  in  of  thou- 
sands of  acres  of  irrigated  flats,  and  the  thick 
planting  of  dvvelUngs,  marts  of  trade,  and 
manufactories,  have  strangely  transformed  the 
surroundings  of  the  storied  summit.  Some 
thirty  years  ago,  one  who  took  his  stand  upon 
the  top  of  the  true  Bunker  Hill,  before  its 
crown  had  been  removed,  could  trace  the 
lines  of  the  works  which  the  British  erected 
there  with  skill  and  complication  after  they 
took  possession  of  the  town.  The  battle 
summit,  Breed's  Hill,  —  not  known  by  that 
name  till  after  the  action,  —  has  not  been 
reduced  at  the  top,  but  it  is  so  closed  around 
that  few  of  the  points  to  which  reference  has 
to  be  made  in  tracing  the  events  of  the  day 
are  visible  from  it.  Yet,  by  mounting  the  tall 
shaft,  the  visitor  with  an  instructed  eye,  look- 
ing in  turn  through  each  of  its  four  windows, 
may  with  some  satisfaction  of  nis  curiosity 
reproduce  some  of  the  more  important  feat- 
ures of  the  scene.  Those  who  were  the 
prime  actors  in  it  would  doubtless  prefer  to 
gaze  upon  it  from  their  own  monument  as  it 
now  is.  We,  however,  try  for  the  hour  to 
restore  their  panorama. 


i8       The  Battle  of  Bunker's  [Breed's]  llilL 

The  three  quarters  of  a  circle  of  headlands, 
slopes,  peninsulas,  and  eminences,  once  united 
by  green  levels,  or  divided  by  watercourses, 
and  embracing  a  circuit  of  more  than  twenty 
miles,  which  we  may  now  sweep  from  the 
windows  of  the  monument,  was  at  the  time 
arrayed  in  all  the  beauty  of  its  summer  garb ; 
but  it  was  stirring  with  all  the  signs  of 
military  occupancy  and  activity.  The  wide- 
spread wings  of  a  patriotic  army,  such  as  has 
been  described,  extended  over  it,  enclosing  a 
dark  spot  with  a  coveted  prize  in  the  good 
town  of  Boston.  Seaward,  were  the  fair 
islands  of  the  Bay.  The  enemy  was  rich  in 
every  form  of  water-craft,  ships  of  war,  gun- 
boats, transports,  floats,  and  barges.  But  even 
with  these  they  had  to  be  very  watchful,  as 
they  ventured  near  the  shore  of  main  or 
island  ;  for  never  were  rats  watched  more 
patiently  at  their  holes  by  skilled  mousers, 
than  were  they  by  keen-eyed  patriots,  as  yet 
not  enrolled,  but  prospecting  on  their  own 
charges  and  gains.  A  portion  of  Colonel 
Gerrish's  recriment  from  Essex  and  Middlesex 
and  a  detachment  of  New  Hampshire  troops 
stationed  on  the  hills  of  Chelsea,  formed  the 


The  Scene  and  its  Surroundings. 


»9 


tip  of  the  left  wing  of  the  patriot  array.  All 
along  the  eastern  seaboard,  to  Cape  Ann  and 
Portsmouth,  were  watchful  spies  on  the  alert 
to  spread  the  alarm  if  the  British  should  any- 
where attempt  a  landing.  Colonels  Reed 
and  Stark,  next  in  the  line,  were  stationed  at 
Mcdford  with  their  New  Hampshire  regi- 
ments. Lcchmere's  Point,  at  East  Cam- 
bridge,  was  guarded  against  the  enemy's 
landing,  to  which  it  offered  great  facilities,  by 
parts  of  Colonel  Little's  and  other  regiments. 
General  Ward,  with  the  main  body  of  about 
9,000  troops,  and  four  companies  of  artillery, 
occupied  Cambridge,  its  college  halls  as  they 
then  were,  its  English  church,  the  vacated 
dwellings  of  some  tories  who  had  sought  a 
change  of  air,  and  the  intervals  of  field  and 
woodland. 

The  broad  spaces  of  oozy  and  tide-soaked 
marsh,  which  doubled  the  present  width  of 
the  rivers,  were  about  equally  a  protection 
and  a  hindrance  to  military  operations  on 
either  side.  We  must  fo.  get  such  things  as 
bridges,  for  there  was  not  ^ne  within  the 
bounds  of  the  historic  scenes,  save  on  the 
side  of   Cambridge  towards  Brighton.      The 


■{I- 


:|l 


20       The  Battle  of  Bunker's  [Brced^s]  Hill. 

salt  flats  had  no  causeways  over  them,  and 
the  shortest,  even  the  only  way  between  any 
two  places,  was  a  great  way  round.  All  the 
numerous  points  of  highland,  the  farms,  and 
the  main  roads,  were  cautiously  defended  or 
guarded.  Lieutenant-General  Thomas,  with 
S,ooo  troops  of  Massachusetts,  Rhode  Island, 
and  Connecticut,  constituted  the  right  wing 
of  the  army  at  Roxbury  and  Dorchester. 

Charlestown  itself,  like  Boston,  w^as  also  a 
pear-shaped  peninsula,  swelling  roundly  to 
the  sea,  into  which  flowed  the  Charles  and 
the  Mystic,  whose  waters  approached  so 
closely  at  the  stem,  or  neck,  uniting  it  to  the 
mainland,  that  one  might  stand  upon  it  and 
toss  a  stone  into  the  borders  of  either  river. 
Charlestown,  too,  like  Boston,  had  originally 
its  five  hill-tops,  —  for  Boston's  'trimount  de- 
signated only  the  three  peaks  of  its  Beacon 
Hill,  and  it  had,  besides,  its  Fort  Hill  and 
its  Copp's  Hill.  The  lowest  of  Charlestown's 
hills  was  a  place  of  graves,  where  some  of  the 
stones  to  this  day  show  the  scars  from  the 
British  cannon.  The  next,  or  Town  Hill, 
was  the  public  centre  of  the  municipality. 
Moulton's  Point,  whence  the  bridge  to  Chelsea 


The  British  Armv  in  Boston, 


21 


now  starts,  and  where  the  British  forces  made 
their  first  landing  to  assault  the  American 
works,  has  been  wholly  levelled  within  a 
quarter  of  a  century.  Of  this,  as  of  the  other 
two  summits,  more  is  to  be  said  by-and-by. 

The  patriot  army,  thus  extended,  could  be 
.cached  for  assault  by  land  only  across  Rox- 
bury  Neck,  at  which  point,  however,  the  in- 
trenchments  of  the  enemy  and  the  safeguards 
of  the  provincials  seem.ed  to  be  equally  secure. 
To  a  certain  extent,  also,  the  exposure  of  so 
many  places  in  the  American  lines  to  injury 
from  the  armed  ships  and  the  floating  bat- 
teries of  the  British  was  offset  by  shoal  waters, 
swamps,  and  intersecting  creeks. 


iStl' 


THE    BRITISH    ARMY    IN    BOSTON. 


Such  were  the  constitution  and  the  disposi- 
tion of  the  provincial  forces  when  they  found 
themselves  engaged  in  the  strange,  but  emer- 
gent, work  of  beleaguering  their  own  chief 
town  of  Boston.  That  little  peninsula  was 
thus  completely  invested  and  hemmed  in.  A 
few  days  after  the  affair  at  Lexington,  when 
virtually  the  siege  began.  General  Gage,  the 


22        The  Battle  of  Blinker's  [Breed\f\  Hill. 


m 


W\ 


iHllil 


m 


iV        .  I 


I'iil 


British  commander,  at  the  solicitation  of  some 
of  the  leading  citizens  assembled  in  Faneuil 
Hall,  had,  by  a  mutual  understanding,  entered 
into  an  acfreement  that  such  of  the  inhabi- 
tants  as  wished  to  depart  from  the  town 
should  be  at  liberty  to  do  so,  if  they  would 
leave  their  arms  behind  them  and  covenant 
not  to  engage  in  any  hostility  against  his 
army.  The  agreement  was  availed  of  by 
many  of  the  suffering  and  frightened  people, 
whose  means  of  living  and  opportunities  to 
procure  food  were  made  precarious  by  the 
siege ;  and  they  removed  with  their  families 
and  such  of  their  effects  as  they  could  carry 
with  them.  The  provincials  reciprocated  this 
indulgence  by  allowing  such  of  those  within 
their  lines  and  of  those  who  had  been  driven 
in  from  the  country,  as  had  tory  proclivities, 
to  go  into  the  town  for  a  refuge.  But  the 
original  freedom  and  fulness  of  this  under- 
standing, on  the  part  of  General  Gage,  were 
soon  reduced  by  a  very  strict  examination  of 
those  who  sought  to  go  out  of  the  town,  and 
by  a  rigid  search  of  the  effects  which  they 
wished  to  take  with  them.  The  tories,  who 
clung  to  his  protection,  likewise  objected  to 


The  British  Army  in  Boston, 


23 


the  free  and  loose  privilege  of  withdrawal 
allowed  to  those  in  sympathy  with  the  rebels, 
and  to  making  the  town  a  refuge  only  for  the 
loyalists,  as  in  the  event  of  an  assault  by  the 
provincials  their  violence  would  have  so  much 
more  of  excitement  to  inflame  it,  and  so 
much  less  of  caution  or  forbearance  to  restrain 
it.  Several  of  the  inhabitants  remained  in  it 
from  different  motives  :  some  as  devoted  loyal- 
ists ;  some  as  timid  neutrals  ;  some  as  spies, 
to  watch  each  hostile  movement  and  to  com- 
municate it  to  their  friends  outside.  Some  of 
these  last,  together  with  many  deserters  from 
the  army,  would  occasionally  cross  the  waters 
by  swimming,  or  in  skiffs  by  night,  or  would 
even  contrive  to  pass  the  Roxbury  lines,  and 
either  enter  the  American  army  or  seek  farm- 
work  in  the  country.  For  many  years  after 
the  war  there  were  scattered  over  New  Eng- 
land many  stragglers,  as  well  as  some  respect- 
able householders,  who  found  it  embarrass- 
ing, when  questioned,  either  to  trace  their 
heritage  on  this  soil  or  to  account  for  their 
exile  to  it.  The  secret,  known  to  themselves 
only,  was,  that  they  were  deserters,  or  the 
children  of  deserters.    The  farming  towns  of 


!l!' 


p  m 


24        T/ie  Battle  of  Bunker's  [Breed's]  HilL 

New  Hampshire  and  New  York  in  this  way 
adopted  many  of  the  subjects  of  Great  Britain, 
and  more  still  of  the  Hessian  mercenaries. 

Among  those  who  did  not  leave  Boston 
were  some,  both  loyalists  and  patriots,  who 
remained  there  mainly  to  secure  and  watch 
over  property  which  they  could  not  remove. 
After  hostilities  commenxed,  General  Gage,  of 
course,  regarded  the  citizens  as  alike  prison- 
ers, either  in  the  same  sense  in  which  he  was 
himself  under  restraint,  or  as  abettors  of  those 
who  were  his  enemies.  By  the  spies  and 
deserters  our  officers  generally  received  full 
information  of  all  that  occurred  in  Boston 
during  the  whole  time  of  its  investment  by 
the  provincials.  The  word  **  British  "  had  now 
become  odious  and  exasperating ;  and  though 
the  regular  army,  encamped  in  the  capital, 
might  affect  to  despise  the  undisciplined  mul- 
titude which  kept  it  in  such  close  quarters,  it 
was  compelled  to  regard  its  opponents  as 
powerful  and  formidable.  The  population  of 
the  town,  independent  of  the  military,  was 
then  about  18,000.  To  all  those  who  were 
not  in  sympathy  with  them  the  British  be- 
haved in  an  insulting  and  exasperating  man- 


The  British  Army  in  Boston. 


25 


ncr.  Only  from  private  letters,  which  came  to 
light  long  after  all  risk  from  the  exposure  of 
their  contents  had  been  quieted,  did  those  of 
a  later  generation  learn  the  details  of  the 
sufferings  and  the  insults  endured  by  some  of 
those  whose  circumstances  compelled  them  to 
remain  in  Boston.  During  the  nine  months 
following  the  battle  in  Charlestown,  through 
which  the  beleaguered  British  were  compelled 
to  bear  their  confinement,  the  constraint  and 
sufferings  of  their  own  humiliation  increased, 
and  they  avenged  themselves  by  harsh  and 
wanton  deeds  of  mischief  and  vengefulness. 
To  show,  as  members  of  the  English  Church 
estabUshment,  their  contempt  of  congrega- 
tional places  of  worship,  they  removed  the 
pews  and  pulpit  from  the  Old  South  meeting- 
house, and,  covering  the  floor  with  earth,  they 
converted  it  into  a  riding-school  for  Burgoyne's 
squadron  of  cavalry.  The  two  eastern  galler- 
ies were  allowed  to  remain,  one  for  spectators, 
the  other  for  a  liquor-shop,  while  the  fire  in 
the  stove  was  occasionally  kindled  by  books 
and  pamphlets  from  the  li])rary  of  a  former 
pastor,  Dr.  Prince,  which  were  in  a  room  in 
the  tower.     One  of  the  most  precious  manu- 


26        The  Battle  of  Bimker's  [Breed's]  HllL 


!'l 


i         I 


scripts  of  the  early  Plymouth  Colony,  Gover- 
nor Bradford's  History,  was  purloined  from 
that  library,  and  carried  to  England.  It  was 
traced,  only  a  few  years  ago,  to  the  library  of 
the  Bishop  of  London,  at  Fulham  ;  and  he 
allowed  a  copy  of  it  to  be  taken  for  publica- 
tion by  the  Massachusetts  Historical  Society. 
Brattle  Street  meeting-house  was  treated  with 
similar  indignity.  The  steeple  of  the  West 
meeting-house  was  destroyed,  because  it  had 
been  used  for  a  signal-station.  The  Old  North 
meeting-house  and  several  dwellings  were 
consumed  for  fuel.  As  the  cold  weather  came 
on  during  the  siege,  all  who  were  in  Boston, 
friends  and  foes  alike,  suffered  extremely  for 
the  lack  of  vegetables  and  fresh  provisions 
and  firewood,  and  the  sills  of  the  wharves 
were  stripped  for  that  purpose. 

At  the  time  of  the  skirmishes  at  Lexing- 
ton and  Concord  there  were  about  4,000 
British  troops  in  Boston  and  at  the  Castle. 
The  number  was  increased  to  more  than 
10,000  before  the  action  in  Charlestown.  The 
best  disciplined  and  most  experienced  soldiers 
in  the  kingdom,  many  of  them  freshly  laurelled 
in  the  recent  wars  on  the  European  continent, 


The  British  Anny  in  Boston. 


27 


composed  the  invading  army.  Gage,  the 
governor,  and  commander-in-chief,  had  long 
resided  in  America,  and  had  married  here. 
He  came  originally  as  a  lieutenant  under 
Braddock,  and  was  with  that  general  when  he 
received  his  mortal  wound.  He  had  been 
Governor  of  Montreal,  had  succeeded  General 
Amherst  in  command  of  the  British  forces  on 
this  continent,  and  Hutchinson,  as  Governor 
of  Massachusetts.  He  had  constantly,  and 
even  violently,  favored  the  oppressive  meas- 
ures of  the  British  ministry  which  brought 
on  the  war.  He  had  strongly  fortified  Boston 
by  a  double  line  of  intrenchments  crossing 
the  Neck,  and  by  batteries  there,  and  also 
upon  the  Common  commanding  Roxbury  and 
Cambridge,  upon  Copp's  Hill  commanding 
Charlestown,  upon  Fort  Hill,  now  levelled, 
upon  the  northern  extremity  of  the  town 
commanding  the  harbor,  and  upon  West 
Boston  Point.  There  were,  besides,  at  least 
twenty-five  armed  vessels  in  the  harbor. 
Bating  the  lack  of  fresh  provisions  and  fuel, 
already  referred  to,  the  army  was  lavishly  sup- 
plied for  camp  and  field.  _ 


i 


28 


The  Battle  of  Bunker's  \Brced''s'\  Hill, 


THE  COMBATANTS  CONFRONTED. 

Thus  confronted,  both  armies  seemed  alike 
confident  of  success  and  anxious  for  a  trial, 
though  each  had  its  own  reasons  for  appre- 
hension and  the  consciousness  of  weak  points 
exposed.  The  British  were  naturally  mortified 
at  their  condition  as  besieged.  They  looked 
with  misgiving  to  the  heights  on  either  hand, 
at  Charlestown  and  Dorchester,  and  were 
forming  plans  for  occupying  them,  having 
decided  to  make  a  movement  for  that  pur- 
pose on  the  1 8th  of  June.  They  regarded, 
or  professed  to  regard,  their  opponents  as 
rude,  unskilled,  and  cowardly  farmers,  and 
were  nettled  at  being  kept  at  bay  by  an  army 
of  men  in  shirt-sleeves  and  calico  frocks, 
carrying;  fowling-pieces  hardly  any  two  of 
which  were  of  the  same  calibre. 

The  provincials  did  not  feel  their  lack  of 
discipline,  nor  realize  what  v/ould  be  the  con- 
sequences of  it,  as  they  should  have  done. 
They  were  restless  under  restraint ;  they  were 
used,  so  far  as  they  had  had  any  military  ex- 
perience, only  to  skirmishes,  and  thought  such 
would  be  the  contest  before  them.     Yet  in 


The  Combatants  Confronted, 


29 


the  Council  of  War  and  in  the  Committee  of 
Safety  there  was  a  difference  of  opinion  as 
to  the  safe  and  expedient  measures  to  be  pur- 
sued. If  the  heights  of  Charlestown  were 
once  occupied  by  the  provincials,  they  would 
have  to  be  held  against  a  constant  cannonade, 
if  not  also  an  assault.  The  fire  of  the  enemy 
could  not  long  be  returned,  as  there  were  but 
eleven  barrels  of  powder  in  the  camp,  and 
these  contained  one-sixth  of  the  whole  stock 
in  the  province.  General  Ward,  and  Joseph 
Warren,  who  was  chairman  of  the  Committee 
of  Safety,  and  had  been  elected  major-general 
on  the  14th  of  June,  —  not  yet  commissioned, 
—  were  doubtful  about  the  expediency  of  in- 
trenching on  Bunker  Hill.  General  Putnam 
was  earnest  in  his  advocacy  of  the  measure. 
He  said,  "  The  Americans  are  not  at  all  afraid 
of  their  heads,  though  very  much  afraid  of 
their  legs  :  if  you  cover  these,  they  will  fight 
for  ever."  Pomeroy  coincided  with  Putnam. 
He  said  he  was  willing  to  attack  the  enemy 
with  five  cartridges  to  a  man,  for  he  had  been 
accustomed,  in  hunting  with  three  charges  of 
powder,  to  bring  home  two  or  three  deer. 
Daring  enterprise  prevailed  In  the  Council, 


30       The  Battle  of  Bunker's  [B rears]  IlilL 


it 


i 


and  it  was  resolved  that  the  heights  of 
Charlestown,  which  had  been  reconnoitred  the 
month  previous  by  Colonels  Gridley  and  Hen- 
shaw,  and  Mr.  Devens,  should  be  fortified. 
On  the  15th  of  June,  the  Committee  of  Safety, 
by  a  secret  vote,  which  was  not  recorded  till 
the  19th,  advised  the  taking  possession  of 
Bunker's  Hill  and  Dorchester  Heights.  On 
the  next  day  the  Provincial  Congress,  as  a 
counterblast  to  General  Gage's  proclamation, 
by  which  Hancock  and  Adams  had  been  ex- 
cepted from  the  proffer  of  a  general  amnesty, 
issued  a  like  instrument,  in  which  his  Excel- 
lency General  Gage  and  Admiral  Graves  were 
the  scape-goats. 

It  was  amid  the  full  splendor,  luxuriance, 
and  heat  of  our  summer,  when  rich  crops  were 
waving  upon  all  the  hills  and  valleys  around, 
that  the  Council  of  War  decided  to  carry  into 
execution  the  vote  of  the  Committee  of  Safety. 
We  may  put  aside  the  question  as  to  pru- 
dence or  promise  of  the  enterprise,  as  being 
equally  difficult  of  decision  and  unimportant, 
save  as  the  misgivings  of  those  who  predicted 
that  the  deficiency  of  ammunition  would 
endanger  a  failure,  were  proved  by  the  result 


The  Combatants  Coufrontcd, 


31 


to  be  well  grounilccl.  That  result,  as  we  shall 
see,  was  that  the  intrepid  provincials,  with  the 
aid  of  a  hastily  raised  earthen  redoubt,  a  slii2^ht 
breastwork,  and  a  rail-fence,  twice  stagp^ered 
and  repulsed  an  assailing  body  of  disciplined 
soldiers  of  thrice  their  numbers,  gallantly  led 
on  by  courageous  officers.  On  a  third  assault 
the  provincials  were  driven  from  hill  and  field, 
the  probability  being,  as  even  some  of  the 
assailants  admitted,  that  if  they  had  had  am- 
munition and  bayonets  they  would  have  kept 
the  ground  and  won  the  day. 

On  Friday,  June  i6th,  the  same  day  on 
which  Washington  was  officially  informed  in 
the  congress  at  Philadelphia  of  his  appoint- 
ment to  the  command  of  the  continental  army 
about  to  be  enlisted,  General  Ward  issued 
orders  to  Colonels  Prescott  and  Bridge,  and 
the  commandant  of  Colonel  Frye's  regiment, 
to  have  their  men  ready  and  prepared  for 
immediate  service.  They  were  all  yeomen 
from  Middlesex  and  Essex  counties,  and  were 
habituated  to  the  hard  labors  of  a  farm  be- 
neath a  summer's  sun.  Captain  Gridley's  new 
company  of  artillery,  and  120  men  from  the 
Connecticut  regiment,  under  the  command  of 


ii-  > 


32       The  Battle  of  Bunker's  [Breed* s\  IlilL 

Capi  'n  Knowlton,  were  included  in  the  order. 
The  whole  force  may  have  numbered,  but 
could  not  have  exceeded,  1,200  men. 


!  1 


THE  COMMANDER  OF  THE   PROVINCIALS 

IN  THE  BATTLE. 

In  .1818,  a  controversy  arose  concerning 
the  command  in  this  action.  Who  was  actu- 
ally or  rightfully  its  military  head }  This 
question,  which  most  strangely  and  most  un- 
fortunately became  mingled  with  party  poli- 
tics, was  very  earnestly  and  passionately 
discussed.  As  is  usual  in  such  cases  where 
there  is  more  than  one  opinion  or  side  for 
partisanship,  there  were  very  many  conflicting 
views  and  judgments.  Every  possible  or 
conceivable  suggestion  as  to  the  command 
was  advanced,  and  had  some  degree  of  advo- 
cacy. Some  maintained  that  General  Ward 
himself  should  be  regarded  as  the  responsible 
officer  of  the  day  in  all  its  operations.  Others 
concluded  that  there  was  really  no  com- 
mander, in  full  authority  as  such,  on  the 
peninsula  of  Charlestown.  Others  still  sought 
to  propitiate  the  manes  of  the  officers,  whose 


i'M 


Commander  of  the  Provincials  in  Battle,      ^^t^ 

respective  champions  were  urging  rival  claims 
for  them,  by  dividing  the  honors  of  the  com- 
mand among  two,  three,  or  four  chief  actors 
at  the  various  points  where  the  critical  move- 
ments of  the  day  occurred.  The  heroic  young 
patriot,  Joseph  Warren,  who  fell  mortally 
wounded  on  leaving  the  redoubt,  had  the 
honor  of  the  day  assigned  to  him  as  chief  in 
authority.  But  there  were  many  who  heard 
his  own  words,  when  Prescott  offered  to  him 
the  command,  that  he  had  not  yet  received 
his  commission,  and  was  on  the  ground  only 
as  a  volunteer.  And  surely  there  is  no  evi- 
dence either  that  he  had  been  assigned  the 
command  or  that  he  gave  any  order  in  the 
whole  action. 

The  ideal  picture  of  "  The  Battle  of  Bunker 
Hill,"  painted  in  London,  by  the  Connecticut 
artist,  Colonel  John  Trumbull,  in  1786,  first 
made  Putnam  the  central  figure  in  the  re- 
doubt. The  Rev.  Josiah  Whitney,  in  a  ser- 
mon at  the  funeral  of  General  Putnam,  in 
1790,  asserted  that  the  detachment  sent  from 
Cambridge  was  put  under  his  command. 
Colonel  Daniel  Putnam,  son  of  the  General, 
in  a  letter  written  in  a  most  commendable 

3 


3  4       Tlie  Battle  of  Bunker's  \Breed  's\  Hill. 


i 


;!!!Mli 


spirit,  and  in  a  dignified  style  of  statement 
and  argument,  and  addressed  to  the  officers 
of  the  Bunker  Hill  Monument  Association, 
in  1825,  advocates  his  father's  claims.  As 
a  youth  of  fifteen,  he  says,  he  was  with  his 
father  at  Cambridge,  in  the  camp,  and  for 
years  after  conversed  with  him  freely  upon 
what  had  then  transpired.  Most  sincerely 
and  most  naturally  the  son  received  the  im- 
pression that  his  father  was  in  command  of 
the  expedition.  But  the  careful  reading  of 
this  letter  will  show  that  the  son's  impression 
was  a  matter  of  inference.  The  intrepid 
ardor  of  the  General  to  have  the  enterprise 
undertaken  at  any  risk,  and  his  active  move- 
ments and  constant  circuits  through  the  day, 
might  prompt  that  inference,  as  indicating 
that  he  regarded  himself  as  virtually  charged 
with  the  direction  and  oversight  of  the  whole 
movement.  But  if  so,  his  command  was 
assumed,  for  it  certainly  was  not  assigned 
to  him.  Prescott  received  no  orders  from 
him.  He  felt  himself  at  liberty  to  move 
about  at  his  pleasure,  and  he  left  the  penin- 
sula for  Cambridge  at  least  twice  during  the 
day. 


1 1' 


Commander  of  the  Frovificials  in  Battle,     35 


■ged 


The  only  decisive  authority  which  the 
parties  to  this  heated  and  acrimonious  con- 
troversy would  have  admitted  to  be  satis- 
factory, would  have  been  the  production  of 
the  official  order  issued  by  General  Ward. 
This,  however,  was  not  extant,  or  not  avail- 
able. Judge  Advocate  Tudor,  who  presided 
at  the  courts-martial  instituted  by  General 
Washington  on  his  arrival  at  Cambridge,  said 
that  Colonel  Prescott  appeared  to  have  been 
in  command.  The  contradictory  and  dis- 
cordant statements  of  those  who,  having  been 
engaged  on  the  field  at  different  places  and 
at  different  hours,  were  called  upon  in  the 
controversy  forty  years  afterwards  to  give 
their  depositions  as  to  who  was  the  com- 
mander-in-chief, are  to  be  accounted  for  by 
the  lapse  of  time  and  the  effects  of  age,  with, 
possibly,  an  allowance  for  their  own  partial- 
ities or  prejudices.  Besides,  further  and 
great  allowances  are  to  be  made  on  account 
of  the  confusion  in  the  army,  its  partially 
organized  and  undisciplined  condition  above 
recognized,  and  the  hurried  and  unsystematic 
character  and  method  of  the  expedition. 

He  who   led  the  detachment  and  fulfilled 


I,    'I 


36        The  Battle  of  Bunker's  [Breed^s]  Hill. 

the  order  doubtless  received  the  order.  The 
order  was  to  intrench  and  to  defend  the 
intrenchments.  This  order  was  fulfilled  by 
night  and  by  day,  by  the  body  of  men  whom 
Prescott  led  from  Cambridge  to  Charlestown, 
and  by  the  reinforcements  who  joined  the 
first  detachment  to  co-operate  with  it.  There 
is  no  evidence  that  there  was  during  the 
action  any  transfer  of  the  command  by  the 
coming  on  the  ground  of  an  officer  of  supe- 
rior rank  to  Prescott,  or  of  any  assumption 
of  superior  authority  by  such  an  officer.  It 
might  have  been  as  dangerous  then  as  in  the 
more  recent  crisis  in  the  nation's  fate,  —  to 
have  done  what  President  Lincoln,  in  his  own 
way,  described  as  "  swopping  horses  while 
crossing  the  river."  Neither  is  there  any 
evidence  that  Prescott  received  an  order  dur- 
ing the  day  from  any  other  officer  than  Gen- 
eral Ward.  It  is  certain,  and  now  beyond 
all  question,  that  he  had  the  command  of  the 
day  and  the  action.  In  a  letter  which  he 
wrote  from  Cambridge  to  John  Adams,  a 
little  more  than  two  months  after  the  affair, 
he  refers,  in  a  most  matter-of-fact  way,  to  his 
having  received  the  order  to  march  on  the 


expedi 

mentic 

ments 

mande 

the  ac 

purpos 

secure, 

to  set  i 

Will: 

the  Fn 

While 

had  be 

their  c( 

he  led 

membe 

May  ; 

full  vig 

ing  anc 

sioned 

Army." 

The  : 
half  of 


Night  Work, 


Z1 


expedition  with  about  i,ooo  men,  and  he 
mentions,  in  connection  with  several  move- 
ments of  the  day,  his  own  directions  as  com- 
mander. As  fair  and  impartial  a  detail  of 
the  action  and  incidents  of  the  day,  as  the 
purpose  and  the  means  of  presenting  it  will 
secure,  will  be  sufficient  to  satisfy  the  desire 
to  set  forth  the  simple  truth. 

William  Prescott  had  been  a  lieutenant  in 
the  French  war  at  the  taking  of  Cape  Breton. 
While  working  on  his  farm  at  Pepperell,  he 
had  been  chosen  by  the  "  minute-men  "  as 
their  colonel.  After  the  affair  at  Lexington 
he  led  his  men  to  Cambridge.  He  was  a 
member  of  the  first  Council  of  War.  On 
May  27,  being  nearly  fifty  years  old,  in  the 
full  vigor  of  robust  manhood,  and  of  unquail- 
ing  and  dauntless  courage,  he  was  commis- 
sioned as  colonel  of  the  "Massachusetts 
Army."  * 


he 
a 
air, 
his 
the 


NIGHT  WORK. 


The  longest  days  of  the  year  in  the  latter 
half  of  June  give  scarce  seven  hours  for  any 


♦  See  note  at  the  end. 


Ill 


lal 


I  ill!;    fl 


38        The  Battle  of  Bunker's  {Breed's]  Hill. 

enterprise  that  is  to  be  done  in  concealment 
and  darkness.  The  scene  of  the  work  now 
in  hand  was  so  near  to  a  watchful  enemy  that 
even  a  loud  sound  might  ensure  exposure. 
Colonel  Gridley  accompanied  the  expedition 
as  chief  engineer.  Three  companies  of 
Bridge's  regiment  did  not  go  ;  but  as  small 
parties  of  other  regiments  fell  into  the  de- 
tachment, it  may  have  had  at  the  start  about 
1,000  men.  They  took  with  them  provisions 
for  one  day,  and  blankets ;  and  the  promise 
or  expectation  was  that  they  were  to  be  rein- 
forced in  the  morning. 

Prescott  was  ordered  to  take  possession  of, 
to  fortify,  and  to  defend  Bunker's  Hill,  but  to 
keep  the  purpose  of  the  expedition  secret. 
Nor  was  this  known  to  the  men  until  they 
came  up  with  the  wagons,  on  Charlestown 
Neck,  laden  with  the  intrenching  tools.  The 
detachment  was  drawn  up  upon  Cambridge 
Common,  in  front  of  the  pastor's  homestead, 
which  General  Ward  occupied  as  head-quar- 
ters, and  prayer  was  offered  by  the  Reverend 
President  of  the  College,  Dr.  Langdon,  who 
had  himself  been  a  classmate  of  Samuel 
Adams.    The  expedition  was  in  motion  about 


Night  Work. 


39 


nine  o'clock,  the  darkness  just  serving.  Pres- 
cott,  with  two  sergeants  carrying  dark  lan- 
terns open  in  the  rear,  led  the  way.  Though 
Prescott  has  frequently  been  represented  in 
accounts  and  pictures  of  the  battle  as  dressed 
in  the  working  garb  of  the  farmer,  and  ap- 
pears in  Trumbull's  ideal  painting  as  wearing 
a  slouched  hat  and  bearing  a  musket,  he  was 
in  fact  arrayed  in  a  simple  and  appropriate 
military  costume,  a  three-cornered  hat,  a  blue 
coat,  with  a  single  row  of  buttons,  lapped 
and  faced,  and  he  carried  his  well-proved 
sword.  This  statement  may  be  thought  a 
trivial  correction,  but  it  sometimes  happens 
that  important  facts  depend  upon  small  par- 
ticulars. As  the  commander  was  sensitive  to 
the  effects  of  summer  heat  and  expected  warm 
service,  he  took  with  him  a  linen  coat  or  ban- 
yan, now  called  a  sack,  which  he  wore  in  the 


engagement. 


The  order  designated  "  Bunker's  Hill "  as 
the  position  to  be  taken.  But  by  mounting 
it,  even  to-day,  we  can  ourselves  see  that, 
cannonaded  as  it  might  be  by  shipping  in 
the  rivers,  and  annoyed  by  defences  put  up 
by  the  enemy  on  Breed's  Hill,  it  would  have 


40        The  Battle  of  Bunker's  [Breed's]  HilL 


■iil 


been  altogether  untenable  except  in  connec- 
tion with  the  latter  summit ;  while  for  all 
purposes  of  restraining  and  annoying  the 
enemy  in  Boston,  Breed's  Hill,  with  any 
reasonable  works  on  its  top,  and  its  right 
and  left  declivities,  would  be  a  far  superior 
position.  It  would  seem  that,  outside  of 
Charlestown,  at  least  '■he  Hill  on  which  the 
engagement  took  place  was  not  known  by  its 
present  distinctive  name  till  after  the  war. 
Charlestown  Heights,  or  Bunker's  Hill,  was 
the  comprehensive  designation. 

Much  time,  however,  was  consumed  in  de- 
liberation, and  the  natural  hesitancy  of  a 
bewildered  anxiety  manifested  by  those  who, 
equally  concerned  for  the  success  o^  an  en- 
terprise under  any  circumstrnces  fearfully 
hazardous,  differed  widely  in  opinion  as  to 
the  best  course  o  be  pursued.  This  hesi- 
tancy, which  wa5  U:lt  on  the  way,  resulted  in 
a  provoking  delay  of  action  after  the  detach- 
ment had  crossed  the  neck  and  reached  the 
peninsula.  It  was  only  after  the  repeated 
and  urgent  warnings  of  the  engineer  that  any 
further  postponement  of  a  decision  as  to  the 
spot    where    the    intrenchments    should    be 


Night  Work, 


41 


raised  would  make  the  whole  enterprise  a 
failure,  that  it  was  concluded,  even  then  not 
in  accordance  with  the  judgment  of  all  the 
advisers,  to  construct  the  works  upon  Breed's 
Hill.  It  seems  that  the  compromise,  while 
allowing  the  occupancy  and  defence  of  the 
lower  summit  to  have  the  priority,  carried 
with  it  a  purpose  to  fortify  Bunker's  Hill  as 
soon  as  possible  afterwards.  The  deliberation 
and  the  delay  brought  on  the  midnight  hour 
before  the  engineer  had  traced  the  lines  of 
the  proposed  redoubt,  and  spades  and  pick- 
axes were  busily  plied  to  raise  the  protecting 
shield  of  loose  earth. 

In  the  account  of  the  engagement  after- 
wards prepared  by  the  Massachusetts  Con- 
gress, it  is  said  that  Breed's  Hill  was  occupied 
and  fortified  by  a  mistake.  The  reason  for 
this  statement  is  not  apparent  to  us.  Prob- 
ablv  if  both  summits  could  have  been  simul- 
taneously  intrenched  and  defended  by  troops 
well  supplied  with  ammunition  and  artillery, 
the  provincials  might  have  maintained  their 
ground.  But  by  occupying  Bunker's  Hill 
alone,  with  such  scanty  military  appliances 
as  they  had,  they  could  not  have  prevented 


„,,   *-  ■.-  ■    .'■ 

£2U' >-■■'-■     1 


42        The  Battle  of  Bunker^ s  [B/red^s]  Hill, 


ii;i': 


i-'i^l 


the  landing  nor  thwarted  the  hostile  opera- 
tions of  the  enemy.  As  the  summits  are 
not  within  musket-shot,  and  as  the  British 
would  certainly  have  occupied  Breed's  Hill, 
if  it  had  not  first  been  secured  by  the  pro- 
vincials, our  scant  ammunition  and  weak  ar- 
tillery would  have  been  of  but  little  avail. 

The  relative  features  of  the  two  summits 
have  not  as  yet  been  essentially  changed, 
except  by  the  reduction  and  partial  grading 
of  the  higher  one,  and  the  filling  in  of  the 
quagmire  between  them.  Their  highest 
points  were  about  130  rods  apart.  Bunker's 
Hill  lying  a  few  rods  north  of  a  line  drawn 
westward  from  Breed's  Hill,  which  is  directly 
opposite  to  Copp's  Hill  in  Boston  with  a 
space  of  less  than  a  mile,  including  the  river, 
dividing  them.  A  straight  road  then,  as  now, 
beginning  at  the  narrowest  point  of  Charles- 
town  Neck,  ascended  and  crossed  the  summit 
of  Bunker's  Hill,  at  an  elevation,  before  re- 
duction, of  112  feet,  descended  to  the  base, 
and  there  joined  a  road  that  completely  en- 
circled the  base  of  Breed's  Hill,  which  has  a 
height  of  about  62  feet.  One  cross-road,  now 
Wood  Street,  connected  this  encircling  road 


Night  Work, 


43 


with  what  is  now  the  Main  Street  of  Charles- 
town.  Back  of  the  two  summits  the  land 
sloped,  with  occasional  irregularities,  down  to 
the  Mystic  River.  An  elevated  point  of  land, 
bearing  east  from  Breed's  Hill  and  extending 
towards  the  bay,  and  called  Morton's  or  Moul- 
ton's  Point,  swelled  into  a  summit  35  feet 
high,  called  Morton's  Hill.  This  has  now 
been  levelled.  The  bridge  to  Chelsea  starts 
from  this  Point.  Between  Breed's  Hill  and 
the  Point  much  of  the  ground  was  sloughy, 
and  several  brick  yards  and  kilns  were  worked 
there.  Breed's  Hill  was  then  chiefly  used  by 
householders  in  Charlestown  for  pasturage, 
and  was  intersected  by  many  fences.  Towards 
Mystic  River  and  the  Point  some  patches  at 
the  time  of  the  action  were  covered  with  tall, 
waving  grass,  ripe  for  the  scythe,  while  farther 
back,  on  the  margin  of  the  river,  at  the  base 
of  the  two  summits,  were  fine  crops  of  hay, 
just  mown,  lying  on  the  eve  of  the  battle  in 
winrows  and  cocks.  The  fences  and  the  tall, 
unmown  grass,  which  were  of  great  advantage 
to  the  provincials  in  their  stationary  defences, 
were  grievous  impediments  and  annoyances 
to  the  British  in  their  advances.     There  were 


m 


44        T/ie  Battle  of  B anker* s  \Bned^s\  Hill, 

then  only  two  or  three  houses  and  barns  on 
the  south-western  slope  of  Breed's  Hill.  The 
edifices  of  the  town  were  gathered  around  the 
present  Square,  and  extended  sparsely  along 
the  Main  Street  to  the  Neck. 

The  monument  occupies  the  centre  of  the 
redoubt,  which  was  eight  rods  square  ;  the 
southern  side,  running  parallel  with  the  Main 
Street,  was  constructed  with  one  projecting 
and  two  entering  angles.  On  a  line  wiih  the 
eastern  side,  which  faced  the  Navy  Yard,  was 
a  breastwork  of  nearly  400  feet  in  length, 
running  down  the  hill  towards  the  Mystic. 
The  sally-port  opened  upon  the  angle  be- 
tween this  breastwork  and  the  northern  side 
of  the  redoubt,  and  was  defended  by  a  blind. 
Colonel  Gridley  planned  the  works,  which 
exhibited  a  combination  of  military  science 
and  Yankee  ingenuity.  No  vestige  of  the 
redoubt  now  remains,  but  a  portion  of  the 
breastwork  is  distinctly  visible.  When  a 
square  was  cut  around  the  monument  grounds 
for  house-lots,  more  than  a  quarter  of  a  cen- 
tury since,  the  remains  of  the  works  raised  by 
the  British  after  the  battle,  lying  west  of  the 
monument,  which  had  previously  been  plain 
to  the  eye,  all  disappeared. 


Night  Work. 


45 


Though  the  hands  which  spaded  the  bul- 
warks of  earth  on  that  summit  during  the 
night  of  Friday,  June  i6th,  were  used  to  daily 
toil,  and  brought  to  their  unwonted  midnight 
task  the  most  unflinching  courage  and  deter- 
mination, it  was  still  a  work  of  dreadful 
anxiety.  It  was  a  bright,  starlight  night  of 
midsummer,  when  the  long  hours  of  the  day 
almost  deny  an  interval  to  the  darkness,  and 
we  expect  almost  momentarily  after  twilight 
in  the  west  to  behold  the  gray  of  morning  in 
the  east.  There  was  a  remnant  of  a  waning 
moon  just  before  midnight.  A  guard  was 
stationed  at  the  shore  nearest  Boston,  to 
anticipate  any  movement  of  the  enemy.  Pres- 
cott  himself  went  down  theie  with  Brooks, 
afterwards  governor  of  the  State,  then  a  major 
in  Bridge's  regiment,  and  heard  from  the  sen- 
tries relieving  guard  on  the  vessels  the  assur- 
ing cry,  "  All's  well."  After  a  while,  Prescott, 
thinking  it  impossible  that  the  sentries  could 
be  so  hard  of  hearing,  made  another  visit  to 
the  river  s  brink,  and,  finding  all  secure,  re- 
called the  guard.  The  work  went  on,  and 
burdened  moments  accomplished  the  results 
of  ordinary  hours.  There  was  a  scene  and  an 
enterprise    for    the   imagination   to   picture. 


I 


46        The  Battle  of  Bunker's  [Breed's]  Hiil. 


"il 


Even  the  narrow  space  between  the  shores 
was  wider  than  the  distance  between  those 
midnicfht  dclvers  and  their  enemies.  At  least 
five  armed  vessels  then  floated  in  the  middle 
of  the  stream.  The  **  Glasgow,"  on  the  line 
of  Craigie's,  or  East  Cambridge,  Bridge,  with 
24  guns  and  130  men,  commanded  the  sum- 
mit of  Bunker's  Hill  and  the  Neck,  by  which 
the  peninsula  communicated  with  Medford 
and  Cambridge.  The  **  Somerset,"  with  6Z 
guns  and  520  men,  lying  near  the  draw  of 
the  present  easternmost  bridge,  commanded 
Charlestown  Square  and  its  dwellings.  The 
"Lively,"  with  20  guns  and  130  men,  lying 
off  the  present  Navy  V^ard,  could  throw  its 
shot  directly  upon  the  redoubt.  The  "  Fal- 
con," S'  ^^  of  war,  lying  off  Moulton's  Point, 
deff'  the   ascent   between   the   landing- 

pk  .  of  the  British  and  Breed's  Hill.  The 
"  Cerberus,"  of  36  guns,  maintained  a  con- 
tinual fire  during  the  assaults  on  the  provin- 
cials. These  ships  were  most  aptly  moored 
for  the  purposes  of  the  enemy,  and  it  seems 
almost  impossible  that  the  sentries  could  have 
been  wakeful  at  their  posts  and  not  have  heard 
the  operations  of  nearly  a  thousand  men  upon 
the  Hill  and  near  it. 


The  Dawn  and  the  Confiict. 


47 


THE    DAWN    AND    THE    CONFLICT. 

The  four  hours  of  darkness  after  the  work 
of  intreuchment  began  at  kist  gave  plaee  to 
the  beams  of  early  morning.  On  tliat. 
moment,  when  the  sun  sent  forth  the  first 
heralds  of  his  coming,  seems  to  have  been 
suspended  the  fate  of  empires.  Could  the 
provincials  have  been  favored  with  a  dull  and 
heavy  fog,  like  that  which  afterwards  gave 
them  such  help  in  delaying  the  discovery  of 
their  works  on  Dorchester  Heights,  allowing 
secret  communication  with  Cambridge  and 
more  secure  defences,  they  might  possibly 
have  retained  their  position.  How  awfully  in 
contrast  with  the  spell  of  glory  which  poured 
out  over  the  darkened  sky  and  the  dew- 
sprinkled  earth  from  the  bursting  radiance  of 
the  sun,  was  to  be  the  scene  on  which  the  sun 
would  go  down  upon  that  green  eminence. 
That  scene,  where  the  heavens  in  their  efful- 
gence greeted  the  earth  in  its  loveliness,  was 
to  present  at  evening  the  most  shocking  hor- 
rors of  desolation  and  agony.  If  true  patriot- 
ism, if  wise  policy,  at  least  if  the  love  which 
Christian  people  of  the  same  bloL  .  and  line- 


I 


48      The  Battle  of  Bunker's  \Breed's\  Hill, 


\\\ 


%v 


l!! 


age  should  bear  to  each  other,  had  been  al- 
lowed its  full,  free  influence  over  the  parties 
in  the  approaching  struggle,  how  much  misery 
and  fruitless  wretchedness  might  have  been 
averted !  Even  then  it  was  not  too  late  for 
"simple  justice  to  have  ensured  peace.  The 
blood  shed  at  Concord  and  Lexington,  with 
the  long  list  of  antecedent  outrages,  might 
have  been  forgiven  by  our  fathers.  They  had 
not  in  any  case  been  the  aggressors.  They 
acted  only  on  the  defensive.  The  blows  which 
they  struck  were  to  ward  off  other  blows  to 
follow  those  already  received.  There  is  no 
evidence  that  the  heights  of  Charlestown 
were  occupied  for  any  other  purpose  than  that 
of  defence,  to  confine  the  enemy  to  the  narrow 
quarters  into  which  they  had  intruded,  and 
to  prevent  a  repetition  of  hostile  incursions 
into  the  country. 

When  the  morning  sun  displayed  to  the 
astonished  invaders  the  character  of  the  last 
night's  labor,  and  showed  them  the  workmen 
still  employed  with  undismayed  hearts  and 
unexhausted  hands,  it  was  not  even  then  too 
late  for  peace.  Gage  and  his  officers,  at  least, 
if   their  hired    subordinates   did  not,  should 


The  Dawn  and  the  Conflict 


49 


have  honored,  though  they  might  not  have 
feared,  that  patriot  band ;  should  have  re- 
spected the  spirit  which  controlled  them,  and 
have  counted  the  cost  of  the  bloody  issue. 
But  not  one  moment,  not  one  word,  perhaps 
not  one  thought,  was  spent  upon  hesitation, 
intercession,  or  remonstrance. 

The  instant  that  the  first  beams  of  light 
marked  distinctly  the  outlines  of  the  daring 
provincials  and  of  their  intrenchments  on  the 
Hill,  the  cannon  of  the  "  Lively,"  which  floated 
nearest,  opened  a  hot  fire  upon  them,  at  the 
same  time  arousing  the  sleepers  in  Boston  to 
come  forth  as  spectators  or  actors  in  the 
cruel  tragedy.  The  other  armed  vessels, 
some  floating  batteries,  and  that  on  Copp's 
Hill,  1,200  yards  distant,  combined  to  pour 
forth  their  volleys,  uttering  a  startHng  and 
dismal  note  of  preparation  for  the  day's  con- 
flict. But  the  works,  though  not  completed, 
were  in  a  state  of  such  forwardness  that  the 
missiles  of  destruction  fell  wellnigh  harmless, 
and  the  intrenchers  continued  to  strengthen 
their  position.  The  earthwork  was  between  six 
and  seven  feet  high.  The  enemy  in  Boston 
could  scarcely  credit  their  eyesight.      Pres- 


50        The  Battle  of  Bunker's  [Breed's]  Hill, 


ji: 

lii 

"i 

iiaaiiiiii;  1 

!  i 

I  iill 

;  !! 
I 

|| 

[  '■  :■■■       n 

ii 

:l|il!IIil 

cott,  the  hero  of  the  day,  with  whom  its  proud- 
est fame  should  rest,  was  undaunted,  ardent, 
and  full  of  a  bounding  energy,  He  devised 
and  directed ;  he  encouraged  his  men  ;  he 
mounted  the  works  ;  and  with  his  bald  head 
uncovered,  and  his  commanding  frame,  and 
his  simple  military  insignia,  he  was  a  noble 
personification  ^f  a  patriot  cause.  Some  of 
the  men  incautiously  ventured  in  front  of  the 
works,  when  one  of  them  was  instantly  killed 
by  a  cannon  shot.  This  first  victim  was  at 
once  interred,  and  his  companions  were  warned 
of  what  the  day  would  bring  nearer  to  them. 

When  the  orders  had  been  issued  at  Cam- 
bridge the  previous  evening,  to  those  who 
had  thus  compb'ed  with  them,  refreshments 
and  reinforcements  had  been  promised  in  the 
morning.  Thus  some  of  the  weary  men,  who 
had  not  one  moment  for  sleep  or  repose,  but 
had  been  tasked  to  the  uttermost,  might  have 
inferred  that  they  had  done  their  work,  were 
entitled  to  relief,  and  were  even  at  liberty 
to  depart.  Some  few  did  leave  the  Hill,  and 
did  not  return.  Those  who  remained  were 
exhausted  with  their  toil,  without  food  or 
water,  and  the  morning  was  already  intensely 


agi 


The  Dawfi  and  the  Coiiflid, 


51 


hot.  Two  barrels  of  water  had  been  knocked 
in  pieces  by  a  shot  from  one  of  the  vessels. 
Some  of  the  officers,  sympathizing  with  the 
situation  and  sufferings  of  the  men,  requested 
Prescott  to  send  to  Cambridge  for  relief  by 
another  detachment  to  hold  the  works.  He 
summoned  a  council  of  officers,  but  was  him- 
self resolute  against  the  petition,  saying  that 
the  enemy  would  not  venture  an  attack,  and, 
if  they  did  venture,  would  be  repulsed ;  that 
the  men  who  had  raised  the  works  were  best 
able  to  defend  them,  and  deserved  the  honor 
of  a  sure  victory,  and  that  they  had  already 
learned  to  despise  the  fire  of  the  enemy. 
The  vehemence  of  the  commander  infused 
new  spirit  into  the  men,  and  they  resolved 
to  stand  the  dread  issue.  Prescott  ordered 
a  guard  to  the  ferry  to  resist  a  landing  there. 
He  was  seen  by  Gage,  who  was  reconnoitring 
from  Copp's  Hill,  and  who  asked  of  Coun- 
sellor Willard,  at  his  side,  "  Who  is  that 
officer  commanding.^"  Willard  recognized 
his  own  brother-in-law,  and  named  Colonel 
Prescott.  "Will  he  fight.?"  asked  Gage. 
The  answer  was,  "  Yes,  sir,  depend  upon  it, 
to  the  last  drop  of  blood  in  him  ;  but  I  cannot 


52        The  Battle  of  Bimkef^s  \Brecd^s\  Hill. 


i       ,13 


answer  for  his  men."  Yet  Prescott  could  an- 
swer for  his  men,  and  that  amounted  to  more 
than  Willard's  opinion. 

PREPARATIONS   OF   THE   ENEMY. 

The  measures  of  the  enemy  were  undoubt- 
edly delayed  by  sheer  amazement  and  sur- 
prise, on  finding  that  the  intrepidity  of  the 
provincials  had  anticipated  them  in  an  enter- 
prise which  they  had  deliberately  decided  to 
take  upon  themselves.  In  the  Council  of 
War  called  by  Gage,  at  the  Province  House, 
all  were  unanimous  that  the  enemy  must  be 
dislodged ;  but  there  were  different  opinions 
as  to  the  manner  of  effecting  this  object. 
The  majority  agreed  with  Generals  Clinton 
and  Grant  in  advising  that  the  troops  should 
be  embarked  at  the  bottom  of  the  Common, 
in  boats,  and,  under  the  protection  of  the 
ships  and  floating  batteries,  should  land  at 
Charlestown,  and  thus  hold  provincials  and 
intrenchments  at  their  mercy.  But  General 
Gage  overruled  the  advice,  and  determined 
upon  landing  and  making  an  attack  in  front 
of  the  works,  fearing  that  his  troops,  if  landed 


at  t 
ous] 
mail 
T 
amo 
cour; 
the  j 
that 
pated 
had   ; 
day  ( 
landii 
was  0 
as  to 
his  ov 
to  th( 
enem) 
raking 
bridge 
passec 
circuit 
The  el 
Roxbu 

forces, 
front 


Preparations  of  the  Enemy, 


53 


at  the  Neck  in  Charlestown,  would  be  ruin- 
ously entrapped  by  the  in  trenchers  and  the 
main  forces  at  Cambridge. 

The  grounds  for  this  difference  oi  opinion 
among  the  royal  officers  in  council,  as  to  the 
course  to  be  pursued  in  an  effort  to  dislodge 
the  provincials,  were  so  obvious  and  natural, 
that  they  would  seem  to  have  been  antici- 
pated in  the  cam^:  at  Cambridge,  and  to  have 
had  their  influence  there.  All  through  the 
day  General  Ward  was  apprehending  that  a 
landing  might  be  attempted  at  the  Neck,  and 
was  of  course  distracted  by  this  apprehension 
as  to  the  expediency  and  safety  of  weakening 
his  own  force  by  sending  further  detachments 
to  the  peninsula.  The  armed  vessels  of  the 
enemy  were  very  active  during  the  day  in 
raking  the  low  tongue  of  land  between  Cam- 
bridge and  Charlestown,  and  many  who 
passed  between  the  two  towns  made  a  long 
circuit  on  the  ridges  bordering  upon  Medford. 
The  enemy  did  open  a  brisk  cannonade  upon 
Roxbury ;  and  this  increased  the  fears  of 
General  Ward,  that  they  might  divide  their 
forces,  and,  while  assaiUng  the  intrenchers  in 
front   or  rear,  rush  out  upon  Cambridge  or 


i|^ 


^H' 


!   V 


54       The  Battle  of  Bimker's  \Breed''s\  Hill. 


I!f:i> 


Watertown,  where  the  scanty  stores  were 
deposited.  These  facts  account  for  the  hesi- 
tation of  Ward  to  comply  with  the  urgent 
solicitations  brought  to  him  through  messen- 
gers sent  frequently  through  the  day  from 
Prescott  and  Putnam,  for  reinforcements  on 
the  peninsula. 

By  nine  o'clock  the  bustle  and  array  in 
Boston,  visible  from  the  Hill  in  Charlestown, 
indicated  that  preparations  were  making  for 
an  attempt  to  dislodge  the  provincials.  Pres- 
cott therefore  abandoned  his  first  confident 
opinion  that  he  would  not  be  assailed,  and 
comforted  himself  and  his  men  with  the  assur- 
ance of  immunity  and  of  a  glorious  victory. 
He  sent  Major  Brooks  to  General  Ward  to 
urge  the  necessity  of  his  being  reinforced, 
by  men  and  supplies.  As  Captain  Gridley 
would  not  risk  one  of  his  artillery  horses 
on  the  road,  raked  by  gunboats  and  by  the 
"  Glasgow  "  frigate,  Brooks  had  to  go  on  foot, 
and  he  reached  head-quarters,  where  the  Com- 
mittee of  Safety  was  then  in  session,  at  about 
ten  o'clock.  Brooks's  urgency,  seconded  by 
the  solicitations  of  Richard  Devens,  a  mem- 
ber of  the  committee  and  a  citizen  of  Charles- 


nigh 


^m 


Preparations  of  the  Enemy, 


55 


town,  induced  Ward  to  order  that  Colonels 
Reed  and  Stark,  then  at  Medford,  should 
reinforce  Prescott  with  the  New  Hampshire 
troops.  The  companies  at  Chelsea  were  then 
recalled,  and  the  order  reached  Medford  at 
eleven  o*clock.  The  men  were  as  speedily 
as  possible  provided  with  ammunition,  though 
much  time  was  consumed  in  the  preparation. 
Each  received  two  flints,  a  gill  of  powder,  and 
lead  for  fifteen  balls.  They  had  no  cartridge 
boxes,  and  used  horns,  pouches,  or  their 
pockets  as  substitutes.  The  lead  organ-pipes 
of  the  English  Church  in  Cambridge  were 
made  serviceable  for  slugs,  beaten  by  the  men 
into  size  and  shape  to  suit  the  different  calibre 
of  their  guns. 

General  Putnam,  burning  with  zeal  and 
intrepidity,  was  coursing  through  the  whole 
day  over  nearly  all  of  the  contested  field.  He 
is  said  to  have  visited  the  redoubt    in    the 


night    or    in    the    early 


mornuig. 


He   was 


mounted ;  and  so  narrators,  who  were  in  or 
near  the  action,  when  questioned  at  the  time, 
or  long  afterwards,  testified  to  seeing  him  in 
so  many  places  that  he  would  appear  to  have 
been  wellnigh  ubiquitous. 


56       The  Battle  of  Bunker's  [Breed's]  Hill. 


i!i?liij 


Dr.  Joseph  Warren,  one  of  the  most  dis- 
tinguished and  self-sacrificing  of  the  many 
patriots  of  the  time,  had  not  yet  accepted 
the  commission  already  mentioned  as  offered 
him  on  the  14th  of  June.  He  had  twice 
maintained  the  cause  of  his  country,  in  the 
very  teeth  of  British  officers,  on  the  annual 
commemoration  of  the  5  th  of  March.  When 
the  report  of  the  coming  action  reached  him 
at  Watertown,  where  he  then  was,  as  acting 
president  of  the  Provincial  Congress  and 
Chairman  of  the  Committee  of  Safety,  though 
he  was  suffering  from  illness  and  exhaustion, 
he  resolved  to  join  in  the  strife.  Wholly 
inexperienced  as  he  was  in  military  tactics, 
his  determination  could  not  be  shaken  by  the 
earnest  remonstrances  of  his  friends.  His 
presence  and  counsel  were  needed  in  the 
Committee,  but  he  persisted  in  his  resolve. 
We  must  lament,  as  all  his  contemporaries 
lamented,  that  his  heroism  outran  his  pru- 
dence, and  would  not  be  restrained  by  duty 
in  another  direction. 


Embarkatmi  and  Landing  of  the  Enemy.     57 


EMBARKATION   AND   LANDING   OF  THE 

ENEMY. 

From  their  slightly  fortified  Hill  the  pro- 
vincials could  watch  and  mark  the  hostile 
movements  and  preparations  of  the  British. 
General  Howe  was  put  in  command  of  their 
detachment.  The  following  extracts  from 
his  Orderly  Book  will  vividly  reproduce  a  part 
of  the  arrangements  :  — 

"General  Morning  Orders. 

Saturday,  June  17,  1775. 

The  companies  of  the  35th  and  49th  that  are 
arrived,  to  land  as  soon  as  the  transports  can  get 
to  the  wharf,  and  to  encamp  on  the  ground  marked 
out  for  them  on  the  Common. 

Captain  Handfield  is  appointed  to  act  as  assist- 
ant to  the  deputy-quartermaster-general,  and  is  to 
be  obeyed  as  such. 

The  ten  eldest  companies  of  Grenadiers,  and 
the  ten  eldest  companies  of  Light  Infantry  (exclu- 
sive of  those  of  the  regiments  lately  landed),  the 
5th  and  38th  Regiments,  to  parade  at  half  after 
eleven  o'clock,  with  their  arms,  ammunition, 
blankets,  and  the  provisions  ordered  to  be  cooked 


58       The  Battle  of  Bunker's  [Breed's]  HilL 


m 


::;  • 


this  morning.  They  will  march  by  files  to  the 
Long  Wharf. 

The  43d  and  5 2d  Regiments,  with  the  remain- 
ing companies  of  Light  Infantry  and  Grenadiers, 
to  parade  at  the  same  time,  with  the  same  direc- 
tions, and  march  to  the  North  Battery.  The  47th 
Regiment  and  ist  Battalion  of  Marines  will  also 
march,  as  above  directed,  to  the  North  Battery, 
after  the  rest  are  embarked,  and  be  ready  to  em- 
bark there  when  ordered. 

The  rest  of  the  troops  will  be  kept  in  readiness 
to  embark  at  a  moment's  warning. 

One  subaltern,  one  sergeant,  one  corporal,  one 
drummer,  and  twenty  privates  to  be  left  by  each 
corps  for  the  security  of  their  respective  encamp- 
ments. 

Any  man  who  shall  quit  his  rank  on  any  pre- 
tence, or  shall  dare  to  plunder  or  pillage,  will  be 
executed  without  mercy. 

The  Pioneers  of  the  Army  to  parade  immedi- 
ately and  march  to  the  South  Battery,  where  they 
will  obey  such  orders  as  they  will  receive  from 
Lieutenant-Colonel  Cleveland. 

The  Light  Dragoons,  mounted,  to  be  sent  imme- 
diately to  the  lines,  where  they  will  attend  and  obey 
the  orders  of  the  officer  commanding  there. 

Two  more  to  be  sent  in  like  manner  to  head- 
quarters. 


Emha7'kation  and  Landing  of  the  Enemy,     59 

Signals  for  the  boats  in  divisions,  moving  to  the 
attack  on  the  rebels  intrenched  on  the  heisfhts  of 
Charlestovvn :  Blue  Flag  to  advance  \  Yellow,  to 
lay  on  oars  ;   Red,  to  land." 

At  noon,  when  it  v^ould  seem  that  the  pro- 
vincials ceased  to  work  on  the  redoubt,  twenty- 
eight  barges,  formed  in  two  parallel  lines,  left 
the  end  of  Long  Wharf,  and  made  for  Moul- 
ton's  Point,  the  most  feasible  and  best  pro- 
tected landing-place.  The  barges  were  crowded 
with  British  troops  of  the  5  th,  38th,  43d,  and 
5 2d  battalions  of  infantry,  two  companies  of 
grenadiers,  and  ten  of  light-infantry.  These 
troops  were  all  splendidly  appointed,  with  glit- 
tering firelocks  and  bayonets,  but  sadly  encum- 
bered for  the  hot  work  before  them  and  the 
hot  sun  over  them,  by  their  arms  and  ammu- 
nition ;  and  it  would  seem  by  the  statement  of 
their  own  historian,  Stedman,  that  they  carried 
a  hundred  pounds  of  provision,  intended  to 
last  for  three  days.  Their  regular  and  uni- 
form appearance,  with  six  pieces  of  ordnance 
shining  in  the  bows  of  the  leading  barges, 
presented  an  imposing  and  alarming  spectacle 
to  our  raw  soldiery.  Some  of  the  regulars  that 
had  lately  arrived  had  been  retained  on  board 


Go       The  Battle  of  Bunker's  [Breed's]  HilL 


¥M 


'  I'i.'ii 


iiiii! 


of  the  transports,  on  account  of  the  crowded 
state  of  Boston.  A  portion  of  these  were 
landed  for  the  first  time  at  Charlestown,  and 
the  first  spot  of  American  soil  upon  which 
many  of  them  trod  gave,  them  their  graves. 

The  officers  were  all  men  of  experience  and 
valor.  Generals  Plovve  and  Pigot,  Colonels 
Nesbit,  Abercrombie,  and  Clarke,  Majors 
Butler,  Williams,  Bruce,  Spendlove,  Smelt, 
Mitchell,  Pitcairn,  Short,  Small,  and  Lord 
Rawdon,  were  the  most  distinguished.  Cap- 
tain Addison,  allied  to  the  author  of  the 
"  Spectator,"  had  arrived  in  Boston  on  the 
day  preceding  the  battle,  and  had  then  re- 
ceived an  invitation  to  dine  with  General 
Burgoyne  on  the  i/th,  when  a  far  different 
experience  awaited  him,  for  he  was  numbered 
among  the  slain. 

This  detachment  landed  at  Moulton's  Point 
about  one  o'clock,  defended  by  the  shipping 
and  wholly  unmolested.  They  soon  discov- 
ered an  egregious  and  provoking  act  of 
carelessness  on  the  part  of  their  Master  of 
Ordnance,  in  sending  over  cannon  balls  too 
large  for  the  pieces.  These  were  at  once 
returned  to  Boston,  and  were  not  replaced  in 


Embarkation  and  Landing  of  the  Enemy,     6i 

season  for  the  first  action.  At  the  same  time 
General  Howe,  the  commander  of  the  detach- 
ment, requested  of  General  Gage  a  reinforce- 
ment, which  he  judg'ed  to  be  requisite  the 
moment  that  he  had  a  fair  view  of  the  elevated 
and  formidable  position  of  the  provincials,  as 
seen  from  the  Point. 

While  these  messages  were  passing,  some 
of  the  British  soldiers,  stretched  at  their  ease 
upon  the  grass,  ate  in  peace  their  last  meal, 
refreshing  their  thirst  from  large  tubs  of  in- 
vigorating drinks,  —  a  tantalizing  sight  to  the 
hungry  and  thirsty  provincials.  About  two 
o'clock  the  reinforcement  landed  at  Madlin's 
ship-yard,  about  the  middle  of  the  present 
Navy  Yard  water-front.  It  consisted  of  the 
47th  battalion  of  infantry,  a  battalion  of  ma- 
rines, and  some  more  companies  of  grenadiers 
and  light-infantry.  The  whole  number  of  the 
British  troops  who  were  engaged  in  the  course 
of  the  action  did  not  fall  short  of,  and  perhaps 
exceeded,  S,ooo.  In  connection  with  this 
force,  so  far  exceeding  that  of  the  provincials 
in  numbers,  and  so  immeasurably  superior  in 
discipline  and  military  appointments,  we  are 
to  consider  the  marines  in  the  ships  which 


62       The  Battle  of  Bunker's  [Breed^s]  Hill, 


cannonaded  three  points  of  the  Hill,  and  the 
six-gun  battery  on  Copp's  Hill,  as  engaging  in 
the  unequal  contest.  Contrasting  a  British 
regular  with  a  provincial  soldier,  we  are 
accustomed  to  ascribe  immense  advantages  of 
discipline  to  the  former.  Yet  we  are  to  re- 
member that  an  overpowering  superiority  of 
character  and  of  cause  was  on  the  side  of 
the  latter.  If  we  could  have  followed  a  re- 
cruiting sergeant  of  Great  Britain  at  that  time 
as  he  hunted  out  from  dram-shops  and  the 
haunts  of  idleness  and  vice  the  low  and 
depraved  inebriate,  the  lawless  and  dissolute 
spendthrift,  seeing  how  well  the  sergeant  knew 
wdiere  to  look  for  his  recruits,  we  should  have 
known  how  much  discipline  could  do  for  them, 
and  how  much  it  must  leave  undone.  The 
provincials  were  not  acquainted  with  the  terms 
and  forms  of  military  tactics.  But  they  knew 
the  difference  between  half-cock  and  double- 
cock  ;  and  the  more  they  hated  the  vermin 
which  they  had  been  wont  to  hunt  with  their 
fowling-pieces,  the  straighter  did  the  bullet 
speed  from  the  muzzle.  But  their  superiority 
consisted  in  the  kind  of  pay  which  engaged 
them  in  their  ranks,  not  in  pounds  and  shil- 


% 


A  Provincial  Outwork, 


63 


I 
1 
e 

)f 

e- 

of 

of 

re- 

me 

the 

and 

lute 

tiew 

lave 

lem, 

The 

irms 

cnew 

uble- 

their 

uUet 

iorlty 


lings,  but  in  a  free  land,  a  happy  home,  laws  of 
their  own  making,  and  rulers  of  their  own 
choice. 

A    PROVINCIAL    OUTWORK. 

While  the  British  troops  were  forming  their 
lines,  a  slight  work  was  constructed,  princi- 
pally by  the  Connecticut  troops,  sent  by 
Prescott  from  the  redoubt,  under  Captain 
Knowlton,  which  proved  of  essential  service 
to  the  provincials.  A  double  rail-fence,  under 
a  small  part  of  which  a  strne-wall  was  piled 
to  the  height  of  about  two  feet,  ran  from  the 
road  which  crossed  the  level  between  Bun- 
ker's and  Breed's  Hills,  towards  the  shore  of 
the  Mystic,  with  a  few  apple-trees  on  each 
side  of  it.  The  provincials  pulled  up  some 
other  fence  material  near  by,  and  set  it  in  a 
line  parallel  with  this,  filing  the  space  between 
with  the  fresh-mown  hay  on  the  ground.  The 
length  of  this  slight  defence  was  about  700 
feet.  It  was  about  600  feet  in  rear  of  the 
redoubt  and  brec./work,  and,  had  it  been  on 
a  line  with  them,  would  have  left  a  space  of 
about  100  feet  between  the  ends  of  the 
earthen  and  the  wooden  and  hay  defences. 


64        The  Battle  of  Bunker's  [Breed's]  HilL 

Thus  there  was  an  opening  of  about  700  feet 
on  the  slope  of  the  hill  between  the  intrench- 
ments  and  the  rail-fence,  which  the  provin- 
cials had  not  time  to  secure.  Part  of  this 
intervening  space  was  sloughy ;  and  as  there 
were  no  means  of  defending  it,  save  a  few 
scattered  trees,  the  troops  behind  the  breast- 
work, as  we  shall  soon  see,  were  exposed  to 
a  galling  fire  from  the  enemy,  on  the  third 
assault,  which  largely  contributed  to  the  un- 
favorable result  of  the  conflict.  The  six 
pieces  of  British  artillery  were  stationed  at 
first  upon  Moulton's  HilL 


THE   SUSPENSE. 

All  these  preparations,  visible  as  they  were 
to  thousands  of  persons  from  hill-top,  steeples, 
and  roofs,  were  watched  with  the  intensest 
anxiety.  The  common  persuasion  and  appre- 
hension were  that  General  Gage  would  him- 
self lead  a  portion,  if  not  the  whole,  of  the 
residue  of  his  army,  in  an  attack  upon  some 
other  point  in  the  semicircle.  The  heavy 
cannonading  of  Roxbury  was  designed  to 
detain  the  forces  there,  so  that  they  should 


The  Suspense, 


65 


not  be  of  service  for  Charlestown.  A 
schooner,  with  500  or  600  men,  was  directed 
to  the  Cambridge  shore,  but  wind  and  tide 
proved  unfavorable.  In  fear  of  these  move- 
ments, great  caution  was  necessary  in  the 
attempt  to  send  reinforcements  to  Breed's 
Hill  Captain  Callender  was  ordered  there 
with  his  artillery.  Gardiner's,  Patterson's, 
and  Doolittle's  regiments  were  stationed  at 
different  points  between  Charlestown  Neck 
and  Cambridge.  This  Neck,  though  fre- 
quently crossed  by  our  officers  and  men  in 
single  file,  was  fearfully  hazardous  during  the 
whole  day,  as  it  was  raked  by  a  fire  of  round, 
bar,  and  chain  shot  from  the  **  Glasgow  "  and 
two  gondolas  near  the  shore.  Some  rein- 
forcements arrived  from  Medford  before  the 
engagement,  though  General  Stark  hzA  led 
them  very  moderately,  insisting  that  *'  one 
fresh  man  in  battle  is  worth  ten  fatigued 
ones."  General  Putnam  stopped  a  part  of 
them  to  unite  with  a  detachment  from  the 
redoubt  in  attempting  to  fortify  Bunker's 
Hill,  which  was  of  supreme  consequence  to 
the  provincials  if  they  should  be  driven  from 
Breed's  Hill.     Stark,  with  oaths  and  encour- 

5 


66       The  Battle  of  Bunker's  [Breed^s]  Hill. 


agements,  led  on  the  remainder  to  the  rail- 
fence.  It  does  not  appear  that  much  if  any 
relief  was  sent  during  the  day  in  food  or  drink 
to  the  overtasked  force  in  the  redoubt. 

It  soon  became  a  matter  of  urgency  to  the 
provincials  to  seek  i\/^,  utmost  possible  help 
from  their  artillery.  But  it  amounted  to  very 
little.  A  few  ineffectual  shots  had  been  fired 
from  Gridley's  pieces  on  the  redoubt,  against 
Copp's  Hill  and  the  shipping,  when  the  pieces 
were  removed  and  planted  with  Captain  Cal- 
lender's,  in  the  unprotected  space  between  the 
fence  and  the  breastwork.  Here  they  would 
have  been  of  some  service  in  defending  our 
v/eakest  and  most  exposed  point.  But  the 
officers  and  the  companies  who  had  them  in 
charge  were  wholly  unskilled  in  their  man- 
agement ;  and,  on  the  plea  of  having  unsuit- 
able cartridges,  Callender  was  drawing  off  the 
pieces  to  prepare  ammunition,  when  Putnam 
urged  him  to  restore  them  to  their  position. 
They  were  fired  a  few  times,  and  soon  after- 
wards were  moved  by  Captain  Ford  to  the 
rail-fence. 

General  Pomeroy,  at  Cambridge,  old  as  he 
was,  was  stirred  like  the  war-horse  at  the  smell 


The  Suspense. 


67 


l3 


he 
itnell 


of  the  battle.  He  begged  a  horse  of  General 
Ward,  that  he  might  ride  to  Charlestown  ; 
but,  on  reaching  the  Neck,  and  observing  the 
hot  fire  which  raked  it,  he  was  afraid  to  risk 
the  borrowed  animal.  Giving  him  then  in 
charge  to  a  sentry,  he  walked  on  to  the 
rail-fence,  where  his  well-known  form  and 
countenance  called  forth  enthusiastic  shouts. 
Colonel  Little  came  up  with  his  regiment,  and 
the  men  were  stationed  along  the  line,  from 
the  rail-fence  to  a  cart-way  on  the  left.  There 
were  also  reinforcements  of  about  300  troops 
each  from  Brewer's,  Nixon's,  Woodbridge's, 
and  Doolittle's  regiments,  detachments  of 
which  were  stationed  along  the  Main  Street, 
in  Charlestown.  Colonel  Scammans,  who  was 
deprived  of  sense  and  courage,  either  by  con- 
fusion or  fear,  had  been  ordered  by  Ward  to 
go  where  the  fighting  was.  He  went  to  Lech- 
mere's  Point,  East  Cambridge,  understanding, 
as  he  said,  that  the  enemy  were  landing  there. 
He  was  advised  to  go  to  the  Hill.  He  chose 
to  understand  the  nearest  hill,  and  so  he 
posted  himself  on  Cobble  Hill,  where  now 
stand  the  Appleton  Wards  of  the  McLean 
Asylum,  and  occupied  that  useless  position. 


mM 


68       T/ie  Battle  of  Bunker's  [Breed's]  Hill. 

General  Warren  arrived  just  before  the  action. 
Putnam  endeavored  to  dissuade  him  from 
entering  it ;  but  Warren  could  not  be  thus 
wrought  upon.  He  said  he  came  only  as  a 
volunteer,  and  instead  of  seeking  a  place  of 
safety,  wished  to  know  where  the  onset  would 
be  most  furious.  Putnam  pointed  to  the 
redoubt  as  the  critical  place.  Prescott  there 
offered  to  receive  Warren's  orders  ;  but  he 
repeated  that  he  was  happy  to  serve  as  a 
volunteer. 

The  tune  of  "  Yankee  Doodle,"  which 
afforded  the  British  so  much  sport  as  ridicul- 
ing the  provincials,  was  the  tune  by  which 
our  fathers  were  led  on  to  the  contest.  Let 
their  example  commend  to  us  this  only  w^ay 
of  depriving  ridicule  of  its  sting,  for  there  is 
nothing  which  it  so  much  annoys  men  to 
spend  in  vain  as  their  scorn. 

Before  the  engagement  began,  Captain 
Walker,  of  Chelmsford,  led  a  band  of  about 
fifty  resolute  men  down  into  Charlestown  to 
annoy  the  enemy's  left  flank.  They  did  great 
execution,  and  then  abandoned  their  danger- 
ous position,  to  attack  the  right  flank  on 
Mystic  River.    Here  the  Captain  was  wounded 


The  First  Assault^  and  its  Repulse*  69 


iJ^ 


and  taken  prisoner.     He  died  of  bis  wounds 
in  Boston  jail. 


am 

3Ut 

to 
eat 
jer- 

on 
ded 


THE  FIRST  ASSAULT,  AND   ITS  REPULSE. 

The  British,  in  their  attack,  aimed  at  two 
distinct  objects :  first,  to  force  and  carry  the 
redoubt ;  second,  to  turn  the  left  flank  of  the 
provincials,  and  to  cut  off  their  retreat.  To 
accomplish  the  former.  General  Pigot,  who 
commanded  the  British  left  wing,  displayed 
under  cover  of  the  eastern  slope  of  the  Hill, 
and  advanced  against  the  redoubt  and  breast- 
work. General  Howe  led  the  rigjit  wing, 
which  advanced,  angularly,  along  the  shore  of 
the  Mystic  toward  the  rail-fence.  The  artil- 
lery prepared  the  way  for  the  infantry  ;  and  it 
was  at  this  time  that  the  blunder  of  the  over- 
sized balls  was  a  great  grievance  to  the  enemy, 
as  they  had  but  a  few  rounds  of  proper  shot. 

It  was  of  vital  necessity  that  every  charge 
of  powder  and  ball  spent  by  the  Americans 
should  take  effect.  There  was  none  for  waste. 
Some  of  the  very  last  charges  fired  by  them 
on  that  day  had  been  snatched  from  the 
cartridge-boxes  of  their  dead  or  wounded  foes 


II 


7o       The  Battle  of  Bunker's  \BreecVs'\  Hill, 


I 


by  a  few  venturesome  individuals  who  had 
got  out  of  the  precious  article.  The  provin- 
cial officers  commanded  their  men  to  withhold 
their  fire  till  the  enemy  were  within  eight 
rods,  and,  when  they  could  see  the  whites  of 
their  eyes,  to  aim  at  their  waist-bands  ;  also, 
"  to  aim  at  the  handsome  coats,  and  pick  off 
the  commanders."  As  the  Britis.h  left  wing 
came  within  gunshot,  the  men  in  the  redoubt 
could  scarcely  restrain  their  fire,  and  a  few 
discharged  their  pieces.  Prescott,  indignant 
at  this  disobedience,  vowed  instant  death  to 
any  one  who  should  repeat  it,  and  promised, 
by  the  confidence  which  they  reposed  in  him, 
to  give  the  command  at  the  proper  moment. 
His  lieutenant-colonel,  Robinson,  ran  round 
the  top  of  the  works  and  knocked  up  the 
levelled  muskets.  When  the  space  between 
the  redoubt  and  the  assailants  was  narrowed 
to  the  appointed  span,  the  word  was  spoken 
at  the  moment.  The  deadly  flashes  burst 
forth,  and  the  green  grass  was  crimsoned  by 
the  life-blood  of  hundreds.  The  front  rank 
of  the  assailants  was  nearly  obliterated,  as 
were  its  successive  substitutes,  as  the  Amer- 
icans were  well  protected,  and  had  been  so 


ing 


^R" 


The  First  Assault^  a?id  its  Repulse, 


71 


deliberate  in  their  aim.  The  enemy  fell  like 
the  tall  grass  before  the  practised  sweep  of 
the  mower.  General  Pigot  was  obliged  to 
give  the  word  for  a  retreat.  Some  of  the 
wounded  were  seen  crawling  with  the  last 
energies  of  life  from  the  gory  heap  of  the 
dying  and  the  dead,  among  whom  the  officers, 
in  their  proportion,  largely  outnumbered  the 
privates.  As  the  wind  rolled  away  the  suffo- 
cating smoke,  and  the  blasts  of  artillery  and 
musketry  for  a  few  minutes  ceased,  the  awful 
spectacle,  the  agonizing  yells  and  shrieks  of 
the  sufferers,  were  distracting  and  piercing. 
The  insanity  of  war  never  had  a  more  full 
demonstration  than  in  that  scene,  when  a 
corps  of  mercenaries  that  had  crossed  the 
ocean  in  the  service  of  a  foreign  despotism, 
with  as  little  intelligence  as  beasts,  and  with 
no  conscience  whatever,  were  pitting  them- 
selves in  vain  efforts  to  wrest  from  men  the 
heritage  of  country  and  freedom  to  which 
they  were  born,  or  which  they  had  made  their 
own  by  the  desert  of  earning  it  and  know- 
ing how  to  improve  it.  Prayers  and  groans, 
foul,  impious  oaths,  and  fond  invocations  of 
the  loved  and  dear,  were  mingled  into  sounds, 


m 


72       The  Battle  of  Bunker's  [Breed^s]  Hill. 


^^mr 


which  seemed  scarcely  of  human  utterance, 
by  the  rapturous  shouts  of  a  vengeful  joy 
which  rang  from  the  redoubt.  This  earth 
has  not  a  sight  nor  a  sound  more  madden- 
ing in  its  passion  or  woe  than  that  which 
only  a  battle-field  yieiQs  to  soldier  or  to  man. 
Hell  then  gushes  forth  from  its  prison  in  the 
bowels  of  the  earth  and  the  dark  passions  of 
the  breast,  and  covers  the  fair  surface  of  the 
ground  with  the  flames  and  yells  of  demoniac 
strife. 

While  such  was  the  temporary  fortune  of 
the  field  near  the  redoubt,  General  Howe, 
with  the  right  wing,  made  for  the  rail-fence, 
where  Putnam,  assisted  by  Captain  Ford's 
company,  had  posted  the  artillery  with  prom- 
ise of  advantage.  Here,  as  at  the  redoubt, 
some  of  the  provincials  had  been  tempted  to 
discharge  their  muskets  while  the  advancing 
enemy  paused  to  destroy  a  fence  which  ob- 
structed their  progress.  Putnam,  with  an 
oath,  threatened  to  cut  down  with  his  sword 
the  next  offender  who  dared  to  risk  the  waste 
of  another  musket-charge.  The  word  was 
given  when  the  enemy  were  within  eight 
rods.     The  artillery  had  already  made  a  lane 


m 


The  First  Assault^  and  its  Repulse.  73 

through  the  advancing  column,  and  now  the 
fowling-pieces  mowed  down  their  victims, 
especially  the  officers,  with  fatal  celerity. 
The  strong  lungs  of  Major  McClary  raised 
the  voice  of  encouragement  above  the  roar  of 
the  cannon.  The  assailants  were  compelled 
to  retreat,  leaving  behind  them  heaps  of-  the 
fallen ;  while  some  of  the  flying  even  rushed 
to  their  boats,  as  if  for  the  security  of  another 
element.  The  British  artillery  had  been 
sloughed  among  the  brick-kilns,  besides  lack- 
ing proper  shot,  and  so  could  do  but  little. 
The  regulars  did  not  take  aim,  and  thus  their 
discharge  passed  high  above  the  heads  of  the 
provincials.  The  trees  afbund  were  after- 
wards observed  with  their  trunks  unscathed, 
while  their  branches  had  been  riddled  by 
bullets.  The  passionate  shout  of  victory 
echoed  from  the  fence  to  that  from  the  re- 
doubt, and  even  the  coward  was  nerved  to 
daring. 

Now  it  was  that  our  troops  and  our  cause 
suffered  from  the  want  of  discipline,  and  from 
the  confusion  app'^  'f^nt  in  the  whole  manage- 
ment of  the  action,  originating  in  the  extem- 
porized and  imperfect  preparation,  and  in  the 


74       -^/^^  Battle  of  Bunker* s  \BreeiVs'\  HilL 

baffling  secrecy  of  the  purposes  of  the  enemy. 
The  neck  of  land,  ploughed  by  the  incessant 
volleys  from  the  ships,  and  clouded  by  the 
dust  thus  raised,  was  an  almost  insuperable 
barrier  to  the  bringing  on  of  reinforcements. 
Major  Gridley,  wholly  lacking  in  spirit  and 
skill,  had  been  put  in  command  of  a  battalion 
of  infantry,  in  compliment  to  his  father.  He 
lost,  and  could  not  recover,  his  self-possession 
and  courage.  *  Though  ordered  to  the  Hill,  he 
advanced  towards  Charlestown,  slowly  and 
timidly  ;  and,  though  urged  by  Colonel  Frye 
to  hasten,  he  was  satisfied  with  the  scant 
service  of  firing  3-pounders  from  Cobble  Hill 
upon  the  *'  Glasgow  "  frigate.  His  captain, 
Trevett,  refused  obedience  to  such  weakness, 
and  ordered  his  men  to  follow  him  to  the 
works.  Colonel  Gerrish,  with  his  artillery  on 
Bunker's  Hill,  could  neither  be  urged  nor 
mtimidated  by  Putnam  to  bring  his  pieces 
to  the  rail-fence.     He  was  unwieldy  by  cor- 

r 

pulence,  and  overcome  with  heat  and  fatigue. 
His  men  had  been  scattered  from  the  sum- 
mit of  Bunker's  Hill,  where  the  enemy's  shot 
had  taken  tremendous  effect,  as  it  was  sup- 
posed to  be  strongly  fortified. 


The  Second  Assault^  and  its  Repulse,         75 


\t 

le 

)le 

ts. 

,nd 

ion 

He 

iion 

and 
Frye 
,cant 

Hill 
tain, 
ness, 

the 
y  on 
I  nor 
neces 

cov- 
tigue. 

sum- 
is  shot 
sup- 


THE   SECOND   ASSAULT,   AND    ITS    RE- 
PULSE. 

The  enemy  rallied  for  a  second  attack. 
Though  they  had  sorely  suffered,  and  some 
few  of  the  officers  were  reluctant  to  renew 
the  fatal  effort,  the  large  body,  like  the  Gen- 
eral, would  have  yielded  to  death  in  any  form 
of  horror  before  they  would  have  allowed  a 
return  to  be  carried  to  England  that  they 
had  given  up  the  contested  field  to  those 
whom  they  had  always  described  as  cowards. 
At  this  crisis  400  fresh  men  came  over  from 
Boston  to  repair  the  British  loss,  and  Dr. 
Jeffries,  of  Boston,  accompanied  them  as  sur- 
geon. The  regulars,  a  second  time,  steadily 
advanced,  and,  with  the  stoic  apathy  induced 
by  a  battle-field,  they  even  piled  up  the  bodies 
of  their  slaughtered  comrades  as  breastworks 
I  for  their  own  protection.  Their  artillery  was 
now  drawn  up  by  the  road  which  divided  the 
tongue  of  land  on  the  Mystic  from  the  Hill, 
[to  within  900  feet  of  the  rail-fence.  The 
)bject  was  to  bring  it  on  a  line  with  the 
redoubt,  and  to  open  a  way  for  the  infantry. 
tt  was  during  this  second  assault  that  Charles- 


76       The  Battle  of  Bimker's  [Breed's]  HilL 


town  was  set  on  fire.  Probably  a  double  pur- 
pose was  intended  in  this  act :  first,  that  the 
smoke  might  cover  the  advance  of  the  enemy  ; 
and  second,  to  dislodge  some  of  the  provin- 
cials, who,  from  the  shelter  of  the  houses,  had 
annoyed  the  British  left  wing.  General  Howe 
sent  over  to  Burgoyne  and  Clinton  the  order 
to  fire  the  town  ;  and  the  order  was  fulfilled 
by  carcasses  thrown  from  Copp's  Hill,  which, 
aided  by  some  marines  who  landed  fr^m  the 
'*  Somerset,"  completed  the  work  of  desolation. 
The  fall  of  the  meeting-house  spire  made  a 
transient  spectacle.  The  old  sites,  where  the 
first  settlers  reared  their  common  block-house 
for  their  worship,  their  stores,  and  their  de- 
fence, on  the  old  town  hill,  over  200  dwellings, 
among  them  that  of  the  founder  of  the  wil- 
derness College,  and  the  library  of  Dr.  Mather, 
shared  in  the  ruin. 

The  provincials  were  prepared,  at  least  in 
heart  and  pluck,  for  the  renewed  attack 
I'hey  had  orders  to  reserve  their  fire  till  the 
enemy  were  within  six  rods,  and  then  to  take 
deadly  aim.  As  before,  the  shot  of  the  enemy 
was  mostly  ineffectual,  ranging  far  abo\  e  the 
heads  of  the  provincials.     Still,  some  "of  ouri 


subl 
fairj 
Th( 
me] 

who! 

gks 

mad 


The  Second  Assault^  and  its  Repulse,         77 


ir- 
:he 

dn- 

tiad 

owe 

rder 

illed 

lich, 

L  the 

Ltion. 

ide  a 

•e  the 

house 

ir  de- 

llings, 

le  wil- 
Lather, 

iast  in 


a 


.ttack. 
ill  the 
to  take 
enemy 
%e  the 
•of  our 


privates  fell,  and  Colonels  Brewer,  Nixon, 
and  Buckminster,  and  Major  Moore,  were 
wounded,  the  last  mortally,  crying  out  in  his 
death-thirst  for  water,  which  could  not  be 
obtained  nearer  than  the  Neck,  whither  two 
of  his  men  went  to  seek  it.  The  British 
stood  for  a  time,  the  moments  of  which  were 
hours,  the  deadly  discharge  which  was  poured 
upon  them  as  they  passed  the  measured  line, 
while  whole  ranks,  officers  and  men,  fell  in 
heaps.  General  Howe  stood  in  the  thickest 
of  the  fight,  wrought  up  to  a  desperate  deter- 
mination. For  a  time  he  was  almost  alone, 
his  aids-de-camp,  and  many  other  officers  of 
his  staff,  lying  wounded  or  dead.  But  though 
he  would  not  lead  a  second  retreat,  he  was 
compelled  to  follow  it,  and  to  hear  the  renewed 
shout  of  victory  from  the  patriot  band  who 
had  weighed  ^he  choice  between  death  and 
subjection.  Thus  the  British  were  twice 
fairly  and  completely  driven  from  the  Hill. 
There  were  at  the  time  candid  and  generous 
men  in  their  army  on  the  spot,  and  others 
who  from  Boston  were  watching  with  their 
glasses  every  incident  of  the  action,  who 
made  the  deserved  acknowledgment   to  the 


78        The  Battle  of  Bunker's  {Breed's]  Hill. 

prowess  of  the  provincials,  in  admitting  the 
repeated  repulse  of  the  assailants.  Men  of 
the  same  magnanimity  in  England,  after  pos- 
sessing themselves  of  the  facts  as  thoroughly 
as  possible  from  the  information  transmitted, 
and  from  interviews  with  mutilated  victims 
of  the  engagement,  also  paid  the  same  tribute 
to  the  defenders  of  their  native  soil.  But 
these  concessions  of  candor  to  the  demands 
of  truth  were  exceptional.  The  transition 
was  too  violent  from  what  had  been  the  esti- 
mate and  report  of  the  courage  and  military 
efficiency  of  the  provincials,  to  a  readiness 
to  admit,  unreduced  and  uncolored,  the  actual 
incidents  of  the  day.  Contemporary  and 
even  more  recent  English  histories  give  wholly 
inadequate  representations.  Even  Burke  — 
if,  as  is  probable,  he  wrote  the  account  in  the 
"  Annual  Register  "  —  recognizes  only  one 
repulse,  and  this  only  in  allowing  that  the 
regulars  "  were  thrown  into  some  disorder." 


^> 


III  «"''"'=' 


THE  THIRD  ASSAULT,  AND  ITS  SUCCESS. 

But  now  the  fortunes  of  the  day  were  to 
be  reversed,  so  far,  and  so  far  only,  as  to 


The  Third  Assault^  and  its  Success,  79 


he 
of 
os- 
hly 
:ed, 
ims 
)ute 
But 
uids 
ition 
esti- 
itary 
iness 
ctual 
and 

rhoUy 
ke  — 
n  the 
one 
It  the 


^> 


er. 


»» 


:cESS. 

rere  to 
as  to 


attach  the  bare  name  of  victory  to  the  side 
of  the  assailants,  and  to  give  them  the  pos- 
session of  a  field  which  would  have  been 
scarce  too  large  for  the  burial  of  their  fallen 
comrades.  The  provincials  encouraged  them- 
selves with  the  hope  that  the  two  repulses 
which  had  compelled  the  regulars  to  retire 
with  such  loss  would  deter  them  from  a  re- 
newed attack.  At  least,  it  seemed  as  if  there 
might  be  such  a  protraction  of  the  issue  as 
would  allow  of  recuperation  and  reinforce- 
ment of  the  men  and  the  works  on  the  Hill. 
It  came  to  the  knowledge  of  the  provincials 
that  some  of  the  British  officers  did  remon- 
strate against  leading  their  men  to  another 
butchery,  but  their  remonstrance  was  disdain- 
fully repelled  by  others.  During  the  second 
assault,  a  provincial,  with  incautious  loudness 
of  speech,  had  declared  that  the  ammunition 
was  exhausted,  and  he  had  been  overheard 
by  some  of  the  regulars.  General  Clinton, 
who  from  Copp's  Hill  had  witnessed  the  two 
repulses  of  His  Majesty's  troops  with  burning 
mortirication,  took  a  boat  and  crossed  the 
Charles  as  a  volunteer,  bringing  with  him 
added    reinforcements.     A   new   method    of 


§ 


¥i- 


So        The  Battle  of  Bwiker^s  \Brecd^s\  Hill. 

attack  was  now  determined  upon.  General 
Howe  having  discovered  that  weak  point,  the 
space  between  the  breastwork  and  the  rail- 
fence,  now  led  the  left  wini:^,  and  resolved  to 
apply  the  main  strength  of  the  assault  against 
the  redoubt  and  the  breastwork,  particularly 
to  rake  the  latter  with  the  artillery  from  the 
left,  while  he  disguised  this  purpose  by  a 
feigned  show  of  force  at  the  rail -fence. 

The  regulars  now  divested  themselves  of 
their  heavy  knapsacks,  some  of  them  even  of 
their  coats.  They  were  ordered  to  stand  the 
fire  of  the  provincials,  and  then  to  make  a 
resolute  charge  at  the  point  of  the  bayonet. 
The  three  facts  last  mentioned,  viz.,  the 
knowledge  by  the  enemy  that  the  provincials 
had  spent  their  ammunition,  the  encourage- 
ment of  the  presence  of  General  Clinton,  and 
the  discovery  of  the  weak  point  in  the  defences, 
all  contributed  to  nerve  the  British  to  a  third 
effort. 

While  these  hostile  preparations  were  in 
progress,  the  little  band  of  devoted  patriots, 
—  Prescott  afterwards  said  that  less  than  200 
men  were  left  in  the  redoubt,  —  exhausted 
almost  to  complete  prostration  by  their  long 


The  Third  Assault^  and  its  Success,  8i 


al 
be 
Al- 
to 
\<X 

jly 
the 
y  a 

s  of 
n  of 
\  the 
ke  a 
onct. 
,  the 
icials 
rage- 
ami 
cnces, 
third 

ere  in 
itriots, 
an  200 
laustcd 
iir  long 


and  iinrefreshed  toil  of  the  night  and  the 
bloody  work  of  the  noonday,  had  time  to  sum- 
mon their  remaining  energies,  to  resolve  that 
the  last  blow  should  be  the  heaviest,  to  think 
upon  the  glory  of  their  cause,  and  the  laurels 
they  should  for  ever  wear.  The  few  remain- 
ing rounds  of  powder  were  distributed  by 
Prescott  himself.  The  very  few  and  favored 
men  whose  muskets  were  furnished  with 
bayonets  —  and  there  were  not  fifty  of  them 
— ^  stood  ready  to  repel  the  charge  to  the 
utmost ;  and  those  who  were  without  this 
defence,  as  well  as  without  ammunition,  re- 
solved to  club  their  muskets  and  wield  their 
heavy  stocks,  while  the  ferocity  of  despair 
strung  every  nerve.  Even  the  loose  stones 
of  the  intrenchments  were  gladly  secured  as 
the  last  stay  of  an  unflinching  resolution. 

A  body  of  reinforcements,  fresh  and  reso- 
lute, and  provided  with  bayonets,  might  even 
then  have  forced  the  regulars  to  a  third  and 
final  retreat ;  but,  as  ])efore  remarked,  un- 
avoidable confusion  prevailed  in  the  Ameri- 
can camp.  The  Neck  of  land,  the  only  line 
of  communication,  wore  a  terrible  aspect  to 
raw  recruits,  who  had  to  dodge  the  missiles  as 


T 
fe 


■ 


82        The  Battle  of  Bunker'' s  [Breed^s]  Hill, 

they  passed  over  it,  and  could  at  best  trans- 
port only  their  own  bodies.  General  Ward 
was  without  staff-officers  to  convey  orders. 
The  regiments  which  had  been  stationed 
along  the  route,  to  wait  further  commands, 
were  overlooked.  Colonel  Gardiner,  though 
thus  left  without  orders,  panting  to  join  the 
strife,  led  300  men  to  Bunker's  Hill,  where 
Putnam  first  set  them  upon  intrenching,  but 
soon  urged  them  to  action  at  the  lines.  The 
Colonel  commanded  his  men  to  drop  their 
tools  and  follow.  He  was  leading  them  to  the 
post  of  dangerous  service  when  he  received 
a  mortal  wound  in  the  groin  from  a  musket- 
ball.  As  he  was  borne  off  the  field,  he  bade 
his  men  to  conquer  or  die.  Deprived  of  their 
leader,  but  few  of  them  engaged  in  the  action. 
His  son,  a  youth  of  nineteen,  met  him  as  he 
was  carried  by,  and,  overcome  with  grief, 
sought  to  aid  him,  but  the  father  commanded 
him  to  march  to  his  duty.  Colonel  Scam- 
mans  remained  on  Cobble  Hill,  but  a  detach- 
ment of  Gerrish's  regiment,  under  their 
Danish  adjutant,  Ferbiger,  rushed  toward  the 
fence.  A  few  of  the  Americans  occupied  the 
two  or  three  houses  on  the  slope  of  Breed's 


J\. 


The  Third  Assault^  and  its  Success.  2>^ 

Hill,  and  annoyed,  for  a  time,  the  left  flank  of 
the  enemy. 

The  artillery  of  the  British  effected  its 
murderous  purpose,  raking  the  whole  interior 
of  the  breastwork,  driving  its  defenders  into 
the  redoubt,  sending  the  balls  there  after 
them  through  the  open  sally-port,  and  reduc- 
ing the  area  of  the  conflict.  Lieutenant  Pres- 
cott,  a  nephew  of  the  commander,  had  his  arm 
disabled,  and  was  told  by  his  uncle  to  content 
himself  with  encouraging  his  men.  But,  hav- 
ing succ^'.ded  in  loading  his  musket,  he  was 
passing  .  ';  ..ally-port  to  seek  a  rest  from 
which  to  fire  i%  when  he  was  killed  by  a  can- 
non-ball. It  was  clear  that  the  intrenchments 
could  no  longer  be  held  ;  but  the  resolution  to 
yield  them  only  in  the  convulsion  of  a  last 
effort  nerved  every  patriot  arm. 

The  British  ofBcers  were  seen  to  goad  on 
some  of  their  reluctant  and  shrinking  men 
with  blows  from  their  swords.  It  was  for 
them  now  to  receive  the  fire,  and  to  reserve 
their  own  till  they  could  follow  it  by  a  thrust 
of  the  bayonet.  Each  shot  of  the  provincials 
was  true  to  its  aim.  Colonel  Abcrcrombic, 
Majors  Williams  and  Spendlove  fell.     General 


84        The  Battle  of  Bunker's  [Breed's]  Hill. 


% 


Howe  was  slightly  wounded  in  the  foot. 
Hand  to  hand  and  face  to  face  w^ere  ex- 
changed the  last  savage  hostilities  of  that 
day.  Only  a  ridge  of  loose-heaped  earth 
divided  the  grappling  combatants,  whose  feet 
were  slipping  in  the  gory  sand,  while  they 
joined  in  the  meal  strife.  When  the  enemy 
found  themseiv^es  received  with  stones,  the 
missiles  of  a  more  ancient  warfare,  they  knew 
that  their  work  was  nearly  done,  as  they 
now  contended  with  unarmed  men.  Young 
Richardson,  of  the  Royal  Irish,  was  the  first 
who  scaled  the  parapet,  and  he  fell,  as  did 
likewise  the  first  line  of  those  that  mounted 
it,  among  whom  Major  Pitcairn,  who  had 
shed  the  first  blood  at  Lexington,  was  shot 
by  a  negro  saldier.  It  was  only  when  the 
redoubt  was  crowded  by  the  enemy  and  the 
defenders  in  one  promiscuous  throng,  and 
fresh  assailants  were  on  all  sides  pouring  into 
it,  that  Prescott,  no  less,  but  even  more,  a 
hero,  when  he  spoke  the  reluctant  word, 
ordered  a  retreat.  A  longer  struggle  would 
have  been  folly,  not  courage.  Some  of  the 
men  had  splintered  their  musket-stocks  in 
fierce  blows  ;  nearly  all  were  defenceless,  yet 


The  Third  Assault^  and  its  Success. 


8s 


was  there  that  left  within  them,  in  a  daunt- 
less soul,  which  might  still  help  their  country 
at  its  need.  The  few  exceptional  cases  of 
cowardice  or  weakness,  which  presented  them- 
selves as  the  catastrophe  closed,  demand  no 
apology,  no  mention  even,  when  no  one  could 
merit  the  epithet  of  craven  who  had  stood 
as  more  than  an  onlooker  through  that  day. 

Prescott  gave  the  crowning  proof  of  his 
devoted  and  magnanimous  spirit,  when  he 
cooled  the  heat  of  his  own  brain,  and  bore 
the  bitter  pang  in  his  own  heart,  by  command- 
ing an  orderly  and  still  resisting  retreat.  He 
was  the  hero  of  that  blood-dyed  summit,  the 
midnight  leader  and  guard,  the  morning  sen- 
tinel, the  orator  of  the  opening  strife,  the 
cool  and  deliberate  overseer  of  the  whole 
struggle,  the  well-skilled  marksman  of  the 
exact  distance  and  the  point  of  aim  at  which 
a  shot  was  certain  death  ;  he  was  the  trusted 
chief  in  whose  bright  eye  and  steady  nerve 
men  read  their  duty ;  and  when  conduct, 
skill,  and  courage  could  do  no  more,  he  was 
the  merciful  deliverer  of  the  remnant.  Pres- 
cott was  the  hero  of  the  day,  and  wherever 
its    tale    is    told,   let    him   be  its   chieftain. 


SG       The  Battle  of  Bunker's  [Breed's]  Hill. 


Whose  statue  other  than  his  should  grace 
the  monumental  summit  beside,  not  beneath, 
that  of  Warren,  the  "Volunteer"  ? 

The  troops  still  left  in  the  redoubt  now 
fought  their  straggling  escape  through  the 
encircling  enemy,  turning  their  faces  towards 
the  foe,  while  they  retreated  with  backward 
steps.  Gridley,  who  had  planned  and  de- 
fended the  works,  received  a  wound,  and  was 
borne  off.  Warren  was  among  the  last  to 
leave  the  redoubt,  and  at  a  short  distance 
from  it  a  musket  ball  through  his  head  killed 
him  instantly.  When  the  corpse  of  that  illus- 
trious patriot  was  afterwards  identified  by 
Dr.  Jeffries,  General  Howe  thought  that  this 
one  victim  well  repaid  the  loss  of  numbers 
of  his  mercenaries.  It  appears  from  the 
recently  published  memoir  of  Dr.  John  War- 
ren, the  brother  of  the  General,  and  then  a 
young  physician  at  Salem,  that  it  was  several 
days  before  he  was  certified  of  the  sad  afilic- 
tion  to  himself.  He  came  to  Cambridge  the 
next  morning,  and  learned  only  that  his 
brother  was  missing.  In  endeavoring  to  pass 
a  sentinel  at  the  new  British  lines,  he  received 
from  the  thrust  of  his  bayonet  a  wound  which 
he  bore  throu<2:h  life. 


b] 
fi( 
foj 

CO 


The  Third  Assault^  and  its  Success. 


87 


It  is  not  strange  that,  both  in  English  and 
American  reports  and  hasty  narratives  of  that 
day,  and  in  some  subsequent  notices  of  it, 
Warren  should  have  been  represented  as  the 
commander  of  the  provincial  forces.  His 
influence  and  his  patriotism  were  equally  w^ell 
known  to  friend  and  foe.  There  is  no  more 
delicate  task  than  that  of  dividing  among 
many  heroes  the  honors  of  a  battle-field,  and 
the  rewards  which  fame  apportions  for  devoted 
services.  Yet  the  high-minded  will  always 
appreciate  the  integrity  of  the  motive  which 
seeks  to  distinguish  between  the  places  and 
the  modes  of  service,  where  those  who  alike 
love  their  country  enjoy,  at  their  own  peril, 
the  opportunity  of  winning  the  laurels  of 
heroism  and  devotion.  The  council  chamber 
and  the  forum  and  the  high  place  in  the  public 
assembly  offer  to  the  patriot  statesman  the 
scene  and  occasions  for  securing  remem- 
brance d,nd  honor  for  his  name.  The  battle- 
field must  retain  the  same  appropriate  privilege 
for  the  patriot  soldier,  whose  skill  and  tactics, 
courage  and  inspiring  fervor,  can  plan  and 
guide  a  critical  enterprise,  for  there  alone  can 
he  earn  his  own  wreath.     Let  the  chivalry  and 


IMAGE  EVALUATION 
TEST  TARGET  (MT-3) 


1.0 


I.I 


l^m    |2.5 

ut  Jlii  |2.2 


L25  11.4    IIIIII.6 


^ 


^^: 


> 


% 


y 


>^ 


o^ 


\fn 


1 

J' 

.    ^"' 
i     J 


88        T/ie  Battle  of  Bunker's  [Breeds]  Hill. 

the  magnanimity  of  Warren  for  ever  fill  a 
brilliant  page  in  our  revolutionary  history. 
But  let  not  a  partial  homage  attach  to  him  the 
especial  honor  to  which  another  has  a  rightful 
claim.  It  was  no  part  of  his  pure  purpose,  in 
mingling  with  his  countrymen  on  that  hill,  to 
monopolize  its  honors,  and  to  figure  as  its 
hero.  It  is  enough  that  he  stood  among 
equals,  without  selfish  rivalry,  in  devotion  and 
patriotism.  Let  it  be  remembered  that  he 
did  not  approve  the  measure  of  thus  challeng- 
ing a  superior  enemy  with  such  insufficient 
preparation  and  means.  The  more  honorable, 
therefore,  was  his  self-sacrifice  in  giving  the 
whole  energy  of  his  will  to  falsify  the  misgiv- 
ings of  his  judgment.  Here,  then,  is  his  claim, 
which,  when  fully  met,  leaves  the  honors  of 
that  summit  to  the  military  leader  of  the 
heroic  band. 

While  such  was  the  issue  at  the  redoubt, 
the  left  wing,  under  Putnam,  aided  by  some 
reinforcements  which  had  arrived  too  late, 
was  making  a  vigorous  stand  at  the  rail-fence. 
But  the  retreat  at  the  redoubt  compelled  the 
resolute  defenders  to  yield  with  slow  and  re- 
luctant baitings,  as  their  flank  was  opened  to 


The  Third  Assaulty  and  its  Success,  89 


I  a 
)ry. 
the 
tful 
I,  in 
.1,  to 
5  its 
long 
I  and 
Lt  he 
leng- 
icient 
irable,  ' 
o;  the 
lisgiv- 
claim, 
ors  of 
Df  the 


the  enemy.  Putnam  pleaded  and  cursed, —  a 
misuse  of  emphasis  for  which  he  afterwards 
humbled  himself  before  his  puritan  church, — 
he  commanded  and  implored  the  scattering 
bands  to  rally,  and  he  vowed  that  he  would 
win  them  the  victory.  His  great  and  absorb- 
ing purpose  through  the  whole  day  was  to 
fortify  Bunker  s  Hill.  It  is  doubtful  whether 
he  was  at  all  in  the  redoubt  during  the  action, 
though  the  painter  Trumbull,  perhaps  from 
Connecticut  partiality,  drew  him  as  the  com- 
mander there.  To  effect  his  object,  he  passed 
and  repassed  between  Cambridge  and  Charles- 
town,  sending  for  tools  to  the  redoubt,  and 
endeavoring  to  rally  the  flying,  even  when 
there  was  no  longer  a  hope.  So  completely 
was  he  identified  with  the  consuming  zeal  for 
fortifying  the  higher  hill  in  the  rear,  that  the 
traditionary  rehearsals  from  the  lips  of  some 
survivors  represented  him  as  on  horseback, 
buried  under  and  surrounded  by  heaps  of 
intrenching  tools,  enough  for  a  cart  load. 
His  furious  ardor  may,  or  may  not,  have 
needed  the  control  of  a  cool,  deliberating 
judgment,  and  of  that  prime  essential  of  the 
soldier  which  is  called  "conduct."     His  cour- 


II 


90        T/ie  Battle  of  Bunker's  {Breed's]  Hill. 

age  was  unquestionable.  He  is  here  fairly 
presented  by  the  writer,  according  as  a  care- 
ful examination  of  authorities,  and  a  review 
of  widely  different  estimates  and  judgments 
of  him  by  others  assign  to  him  his  share  in 
inspiriting  a  patriotic  enterprise. 

General  Pomeroy  likewise  implored  the  dis- 
integrated forces  to  rally  ;  but  in  vain.  The 
last  resistance  at  the  rail-fence  was  of  the 
utmost  service,  as  it  prevented  the  enemy 
from  cutting  off  the  retreat  of  the  provin- 
cials who  straggled  back,  each,  for  the  most 
part,  his  own  leader,  towards  Cambridge. 
Yet  the  enemy  were  in  no  condition  to  pur- 
sue, as  they  were  alike  exhausted,  and  were 
content  with  the  little  patch  of  ground  which 
they  had  so  dearly  purchased.  The  provin- 
cials retreated  to  Cambridge  by  the  marsh 
road,  and  by  the  higher  route  over  Winter 
Hill,  able  to  rescue  only  one  of  the  six  pieces 
of  artillery  which  they  had  brought  to  the 
field.  The  battle  had  occupied  about  two 
hours,  the  provincials  retreating  about  five 
o'clock.  The  British  lay  on  their  arms  all 
night  at  Bunker's  Hill,  discharging  their  pieces 
against  the  Americans,  who  were  safely  en- 


The  Third  Assauit,  and  its  Success,  91 


rly 

rc- 
ew 
nts 
;  in 

dis- 

The 
the 

emy   • 

Dvin- 

most 

•idge. 

►  pur- 
were 
hich 
ovin- 
narsh 
^nter 
pieces 
o  the 
two 
t  five 
all 
>ieces 


\l 


en- 


camped upon  Prospect  Hill,  at  the  distance 
of  a  mile.  Between  the  two  positions,  at 
the  right,  was  a  slight  elevation,  known  as 
Ploughed  Hill,  because  under  cultivation. 
This  was  afterwards  called  Mount  Benedict, 
as  the  site  of  the  Ursuline  Convent,  and  has 
a  humiliating  history.  Ploughed  Hill  and 
Prospect  Hill  are  now  both  reducing  their 
summits  to  raise  the  adjacent  low  lands. 
.  Prescott,  vv^ith  garments  pierced  and  rent, 
hastened  to  headquarters  to  make  return  of 
the  orders  he  had  received.  He  was  indie:- 
nant  at  the  loss  of  the  ground,  and  implored 
General  Ward  to  commit  to  him  three  fresh 
regiments,  promising  that  with  them  he  would 
at  once  win  back  what  had  been  sacrificed. 
But  he  had  already  honorably  done  all  that 
his  country  might  demand  of  him  in  that  first 
trial.  He  bitterly  complained  that  the  rein- 
forcementS;  which  might  have  given  to  his 
triumph  the  completeness  of  a  victory,  had 
failed  him.  A  year  aftervvards,  when  he  was 
in  the  American  camp  at  New  York,  he  was 
informed  how  narrowly  he  had  escaped  with 
his  life.  A  British  sergeant  who  was  brought 
into  the  camp,  on  meeting  there  with  Pres- 


I 


'0    S 


.,'J  III 


1 
,1 


92        77/^  Battle  of  Bunker's  [Breed^s]  IlilL 

cott,  called  him  by  name.  Prescott  inquired 
how  or  where  he  had  known  him.  The  man 
replied  that  he  knew  him  well,  and  that  his 
acquaintance  began  at  the  battle  in  Charles- 
town.  Prescott  had  there  been  pointed  out 
to  him  as  the  commander,  and  in  the  first  two 
acts  had  been  singled  out  by  him  with  a 
deliberate  aim.  Though  Prescott's  position 
at  each  time  was  such  as  to  convince  the 
sergeant  that  the  shot  would  be  fatal,  he  was 
unharmed.  On  the  third  assault,  impelled 
by  the  same  purpose,  he  had  charged  Pres- 
cott at  the  point  of  the  bayonet ;  but  the 
strong  arm  and  the  sword  of  the  commander 
thrust  aside  the  weapon,  and  the  baffled  ser- 
geant judged  him  to  be  invulnerable. 

THE    RECKONING. 

The  number  of  the  provincials  in  the  whole 
action  of  the  day,  including  the  occasional 
reinforcements,  and  those  who  came  only  to 
cover  the  retreat,  did  not  exceed  4,000.  Of 
these  115  were  killed,  305  were  wounded,  and 
30  were  taken  prisoners,  making  our  whole 
loss  450.  Prescott's  regiment  suffered  most 
severely. 


The  Reckoning, 


93 


ilrcd 
man 
t  his 
irles- 
1  out 
,t  two 
ith   a 
>sition 
:e  the 
le  was 
ipclled 
[  Prcs- 
DUt  the 
luander 
ed  ser- 


lc  whole 

[casional 
only  to 
)0.     Of 

Ided,  and 
Lr  whole 

Ired  most 


The  whole  British  loss  was  estimated  by  the 
Provincial  Congress,  on  their  best  information, 
at  1,500,  and  as  returned  by  Gage,  was  1,054, 
among  them  13  commissioned  officers  killed, 
and  70  wounded.  Of  the  killed  were  i  lieu- 
tenant-colonel, 2  majors,  and  7  captains. 
Loud  and  agonizing  was  the  wailing  in  Bos- 
ton, when  through  that  night  and  all  the  next 
Sunday  boats,  drays,  and  stretchers,  and  all 
the  means  of  transport,  were  put  to  service 
to  carry  the  wounded  and  the  dying  from  the 
fearful  scene.  The  hospitals  were  crowded 
with  the  sufferers,  and  many  places  designed 
for  quite  other  purposes  were  put  to  that 
exigent  use.  The  sympathies  of  the  inhabi- 
tants of  the  town  were  engaged  alike  for 
friends  and  foes.  The  following  brief  extract 
from  a  letter  from  Mr.  Grant,  one  of  the  sur- 
geons of  the  British  army  in  Boston,  to  a 
friend  in  Westminster,  written  on  the  i^ixth 
day  after  the  battle,  revives  the  realities  of 
the  occasion.  "  I  have  scarce  had  time  suffi- 
cient to  eat  my  meals,  therefore  you  must 
expect  but  a  few  lines.  I  have  been  up  two 
nights,  assisted  by  four  mates,  dressing  our 
men  of  the  wounds   they  received   the   last 


t  til 


■^1 


94       T/ie  Battle  of  Bunker's  [Breed's]  HilL 

engagement.  Many  of  the  wounded  arc 
daily  dying,  and  many  must  have  both  legs 
amputated.  The  provincials  had  either  ex- 
hausted their  ball,  or  they  were  determined 
that  every  wound  should  prove  mortal.  Their 
muskets  were  charged  with  old  nails  and 
angular  pieces  of  iron,  and  from  most  of  our 
men  being  wounded  in  the  legs,  we  are  in- 
clined to  believe  it  was  their  design,  not  wish- 
ing to  kill  the  men,  but  to  leave  them  as 
burdens  on  us,  to  exhaust  our  provisions  and 
engage  our  attention,  as  well  as  to  intimidate 
the  rest  of  the  soldiery.'* 

The  stir  and  business  of  the  British  forces 
on  their  occupancy  of  the  heights  which  they 
had  so  dearly  won  may  best  be  gathered  from 
Howe's  Orderly  Book,  under  the  date  of  the 
day  following. 


"General  Howe's  Orders. 

Heights  of  Charlestown, 
June  i8th,  at  nine  o'clock  morning. 

The  troops  will  encamp  as  soon  as  the  equipage 
can  be  brought  up. 

Tents  and  provisions  may  be  expected  when 
the  tide  admits  of  transporting  them  to  this  side. 


The  Reckoning, 


95 


cx- 
ned 
heir 
and 
our 
I  in- 

n  as 
J  and 
lidatc 

forces 
they 
from 

of  the 


WN, 

)rning. 

^uipage 

Id  when 
lis  side. 


The  corps  to  take  the  duty  at  the  intrench- 
ment  near  Charlestown  Neck,  aUernately.  The 
whole  (those  on  the  last-mentioned  duty  excepted) 
to  furnish  the  third  of  their  numbers  for  work, 
with  officers  and  non-commissioned  officers  in  pro- 
portion, and  be  relieved  every  four  hours. 

The  parties  for  work  to  carry  their  arms,  and 
lodge  them  securely  while  on  that  duty. 

General  Plowe  expects  that  all  officers  will 
exert  themselves  to  prevent  the  men  from  strag- 
gling, quitting  their  companies  or  platoons,  and, 
on  pain  of  death,  no  man  to  be  guilty  of  the  shame- 
ful and  infamous  practice  of  pillaging  in  the 
deserted  houses. 

When  men  are  sent  for  water,  not  less  than 
twelve,  with  a  non-commissioned  officer,  to  be  sent 
on  that  duty. 

The  47  th  Regiment  to  continue  at  the  post 
they  now  occupy.  The  soldiers  are  by  no  means 
to  cut  down  trees,  unless  ordered. 

General  Howe  hopes  the  troops  will  in  every 
instance  show  an  attention  to  discipline  and  regu- 
larity on  this  ground,  equal  to  the  bravery  and 
intrepidity  he,  with  the  greate  satisfaction,  ob- 
served they  displayed  so  remarkably  yesterday. 
He  takes  this  opportunity  of  expressing  his  public 
testimony  to  the  gallantry  and  good  conduct  of 
the  officers  under  his  command  during  the  action, 


m 


I! 


li  I  i     ' 


,6       mBaUleo/Bunl.ys[B>r.rs]m7. 

Clinton  --\yi.^  i„f,„try  will  relieve   the 
The  corps  of  L,g,u  .^^,,„,h„ent  th.s 

Grenadiers    at   tlie   i"v 

evening,  at  seven.  ^„  ^ffi^er 

When  the  S^d  R  g>-<^"  ^,^,i„  at  the 

and  twenty  men  of  that  co  p 

post  they  now  occupy. 

"General  Orders. 

HEAD-QUAKTERS.  BOSTON,  .9tMone,  1775- 
,     •    r.h\p(  returns  his  most  grate- 
ful  thanks  to  Majo-Gen    al  ^^  ^^^  ^^^^ 

dinary  exertion  o  his  mi  it    y  ^^  ^^.^^. 

instant.     He  returns  h-  tj^^^"  ^  ^,     ,  for 

General  Clinton  and  B"gad'e  ^^^  ^       ^^ 

the  share  they  took  -  *^  J,^^^^^^  Abevcrom- 

,ell  as  to  ^^--'-^-^i:^Zlrs  Butler,  Williams, 
bie,  Gunning,  and  Clarke,  Maj  ^^^^^^^^^ 

^'•-\^"Tofltre-nTs;idiers,who,by 

and  the  rest  of  the  o™^  ^  gallantry,  over- 

remarkable  efforts  of  courage  an    g  ^^^^^^ 

came  every  f  trS^n.llds  on  the  heights 
from  their  redoubt  and   tro"  ^.^^^^^^ 

of  Charlestown,  and  gainea  a        f 


'V 


The  Reckoning, 


97 


IS 

l\s 

:be 
.his 

\cer 
the 


L77S- 
crrate- 
traor- 

e  17^^ 
ajor- 

ot  for 
day,  as 
vcrom- 
iUiams, 
■itchell, 
ho,  by 
:y,  over- 
le  rebels 
heights 

lictory." 


"June  27th,  1775. 
The  preservation  of  the  few  houses  left  in 
Charlestown  (as  much  as  possible)  unimpaired, 
being  an  important  object,  any  of  the  soldiers 
detected  in  future  in  attempting  shamefully  to 
purloin  any  part  of  these  buildings  will  assuredly 
be  punished  most  severely.  The  General  con- 
siders such  instances  of  devastation  and  irregu- 
larity a  disgrace  to  discipline." 

But  though  the  sword  was  lifted  against  our 
fathers  by  their  own  brethren,  and  in  a  cause 
which  we  must  pronounce  to  have  been  un- 
righteous and  tyrannical,  we  feel  impelled  to 
pay  a  just  tribute  to  the  bravery  and  gallan- 
try of  the  British  officers  and  soldiers  upon 
the  field.  To  climb  boldly  and  march  for- 
ward, as  they  did  thrice,  and  bare  their 
bosoms  to  the  weapons  of  desperate  men,  was 
a  trial  of  their  prowess  which  allows  us  to 
withhold  from  them  no  praise  or  glory  which 
we  give  to  our  patriots,  save  that  belonging 
to  those  who  were  the  champions  of  the  better 
cause.  The  highest  honor  which  we  can 
bestow  upon  the  heroism  of  the  enemy,  is,  in 
regretting  that  the  King  and  his  ministers 
found  such  devoted  serv^ants. 


I|i|^ 

" 


98        The  Battle  of  Bunker's  [Breed's]  Hill. 


% 


THE  FRUITS  OF  THE  PATRIOT 
STRUGGLE. 

Now,  if  it  were  to  be  p.^rmed  that  the 
intrenching  and  the  darin  ,  though  desperate, 
defence  of  Breed's  Hill  was  the  most  critical, 
or,  at  least,  the  most  important,  action  of  our 
Revolutionary  War,  the  assertion  might  be 
set  down  to  the  account  of  a  rhetorical  exalta- 
tion, to  local  partiality,  or  to  an  ill-proportioned 
estimate  of  other  conflicts.  Rival  claimants 
might  arise  as  the  champions  of  the  fame  of 
our  other  battle-fields.  Yet,  without  a  word 
or  a  figure  of  exaggeration,  the  battle  of  June 
17th  may  be  ranked  as  chief  in  importance  in 
the  calendar  of  our  fights.  The  whole  pro- 
tracted struggle  was  decisively  influenced 
through  its  seven  years  by  this,  its  initiatory 
contest.  The  battle  was  fought  by  the  pro- 
vincials in  earnest,  with  determined  spirit, 
with  proud  success,  though  not  with  tempo- 
rary victory  ;  and  therefore  it  gave  the  impulse 
of  a  good  beginning  to  the  whole  conduct  of 
the  war.  The  risks  of  the  enterprise  were 
fearful,  almost  appalling,  as  seen  by  our 
wisest    and    boldest  counsellors.     But   they 


The  Fruits  of  the  Patriot  Struggle, 


99 


:he 

ite, 

cal, 

our 

t  be 

alta- 

oned 

lants 

ne  oi 
word 


counted  the  cost  up  to  that  critical  point  at 
which  high-souled  an^  resolved  men  know 
that  if  they  dehbcrate  and  hesitate  any  fur- 
ther, they  lose  their  heroism  in  fondhng  their 
discretion.  Let  us  make  a  brief  review  of  the 
accomplished  effects  of  the  battle. 

It  accomplished  what,  in  all  cases  of  strife 
and  discord,  it  is  very  needful,  yet  not  always 
easy,  to  bring  fully  into  decision,  —  it  drew  a 
line  of  division,  no  longer  to  be  blurred, 
between  the  two  contending  part.es,  and 
brought  them  to  a  positive  issue.  There  were 
then  several  links  of  union  between  England 
and  her  American  provinces,  formed  by  the 
various  orders,  classes,  and  coteries,  gathered 
especially  in  this  neighborhood.  Some  of  our 
most  honored  and  disinterested  countrymen, 
and  some  of  the  British  officers,  engaged  with 
protracted  shrinking  and  with  extreme  reluc- 
tance in  the  hostilities.  We  had  among  us 
not  only  Tories  and  Republicans,  Monarchists 
and  Sons  of  Liberty,  but  timid  and  cautious 
hesitants,  and  attached  friends  to  the  restricted 
exercise  of  kingly,  in  opposition  to  democratic, 
authority.  There  were  moderate  and  immod- 
erate men  of  both  parties,  neutral  and  luke- 


!i 


100     The  Battle  of  Bunker's  [Breed^s]  Ili/L 


MHff 

I'S'   -'^ 

''S  -1 

I  ^HK 

1  1 

'  'm^H 

1 

warm  doubters  of  no  party.  While  reading 
the  inner  history  of  the  period,  we  readily 
imagine  the  thousand  social  ties  and  domestic 
relations,  the  civilities  of  neighborhood  and 
the  common  interest  in  the  land  across  the 
water,  which  might  well  make  it  a  difficult 
thing,  a  work  requiring  time,  and  even  blood, 
to  separate  the  people  of  this  single  province 
into  two  parties  distinct  at  every  point,  so  that 
they  might  face  each  other  as  enemies.  Had 
it  not  been  for  the  skirmish  at  Lexington 
and  Concord,  it  is  probable  that  matters 
might  have  remained  quiet  a  little  time 
longer,  a»" '  that  the  colonists  might  have 
wasted  .n.,'-  more  words  of  petition  upon 
the  minis'  ^  But  the  affair  of  the  17th  of 
June  at  once  put  a  stop  to  any  further  halting 
between  two  opinions. 

Again,  that  action  was  of  primary  impor- 
tance from  its  nerving  influence  upon  the 
patriots,  who,  unknown  to  themselves,  had 
before  them  a  war  of  weary  protraction  and 
exhausting  drain,  partaking  largely  of  re- 
verses and  discouragements.  They  learned 
this  day  to  what  they  were  equal  in  the  confi- 
dence that  God  was  on  their  side,  making  their 


The  Fruits  of  the  Fat  riot  Struggle.         lot 


Lly 

tic 

lhcL 

the 

:ult 

ood, 

ince 

that 

Had 

igton 

itters 

time 

have 

upon 
7th  of 

alting 

linapor- 
lon  the 
ts,  had 
ion  and 
of    rc- 
1  learned 

le  confi- 
mg  their 


cause  just  and  good.  That  work  of  a  sum- 
mer's night  was  worth  its  cost  td  them. 
They  lacked  discipline,  artillery,  bayonets, 
powder  and  ball,  food  ;  and,  the  greatest  want 
of  all,  they  lacked  the  delicious  draught  of 
pure,  cool  water  for  their  labor-worn  and 
heat-exhausted  frames.  They  found  that  des- 
peration would  supply  the  place  of  discipline  ; 
that  the  blunt  end  of  a  musket,  wielded  with 
strong  arms,  might  be  as  deadly  as  the  thrust 
of  a  bayonet,  and  that  a  heavy  stone  might 
level  an  assailant  as  well  as  a  charge  of  pow- 
der. As  for  food  and  water,  the  hunger  they 
were  compelled  to  bear  unrelieved,  and  they 
cooled  their  brows  only  by  the  thick,  heavy 
drops  which  poured  before  the  sun.  Yet  it 
was  their  opening  combat,  and  proudly  did 
they  bear  away  its  laurels  even  upon  their 
backs,  which  the  failure  of  ammunition  and 
reinforcements  compelled  them  through  part 
of  their  retreat  to  turn  to  the  enemy.  They 
did  show  their  backs  once  to  those  who  had 
already  twice  indulged  them  with  the  same 
spectacle  ;  and,  if  they  retreated,  it  was  not 
in  abandonment  of  their  cause,  but  that  they 
mi!?:ht  save  their  faces  for  later  and  bolder 


102       The  Battle  of  Bunker's  [Breed^s]  Hill. 


opportunities  of  confronting  the  foe.  Their 
opening  combat  decided  the  spirit  and  the 
hope  of  all  their  subsequent  campaigns. 
They  had  freed  themselves  during  the  en- 
gagement from  all  that  human  reluctance 
which  they  had  heretofore  felt  in  turning 
deadly  weapons  against  the  breasts  of  former 
friends,  yes,  even  of  kinsmen.  On  that  emi- 
nence, the  first  bright  image  of  liberty  of  a 
free  native  land  kindled  the  eyes  of  those  who 
were  expiring  in  their  gore  ;  and  the  image 
passed  between  the  living  and  the  dying  to 
seal  the  covenant,  that  the  hope  of  the  one, 
or  the  fate  of  the  other,  should  unite  them 
here  or  hereafter. 

It  was  the  report  of  that  battle,  which,  trans- 
mitted by  swift  couriers  over  the  length  and 
breadth  of  the  continent,  would  everywhere 
prepare  the  spirit  to  follow  it  up  with  deter- 
mined resistance  to  every  future  act  of  aggres- 
sion. How  can  we  exaggerate  the  relative 
importance  of  this  day's  action }  Did  it  not, 
in  fact,  not  only  open,  but  make  the  contest, 
dividing  into  two  parties  not  only  those  deter- 
mined for  the  ministry  or  for  enfranchisement, 
but  also  all  timid,  hesitating,  reluctant   neu- 


The  Fruits  of  the  Patriot  Struggle,         103 


iir 
he 

.IS. 

cil- 
ice 
ing 
ner 
:mi- 
of  a 
who 
lage 

g  to 

one, 

them 

rans- 
and 
vhere 
letcr- 
gres- 
lative 
t  not, 
)ntest, 
deter- 
^ment, 
t  neu- 


trals ?  It  was  impossible  after  this  to  avoid 
taking  a  side.  It  rendered  all  reconciliation 
impossible,  till  it  should  offer  itself  in  the 
shape  of  independence.  It  echoed  the  gather- 
ing cry  that  brought  together  our  people  from 
their  farms  and  workshops,  to  learn  the  terrible 
art  which  grows  more  merciful  only  as  it  is 
more  ferociously,  that  is,  skilfully,  pursued. 
The  day  needs  no  rhetoric  to  magnify  it  in 
our  revolutionary  annals.  When  its  sun  went 
down,  the  provincials  had  parted  with  all  fear, 
hesitation,  and  reluctance.  They  found  that 
it  was  easy  to  fight.  The  awful  roar  of  the 
death-dealing  enginery  associated  itself  in 
their  minds  with  all  their  wrongs,  and  all  their 
hopes,  and  with  the  sweet  word  of  liberty. 
The  pen  with  which  petitions  had  been  writ- 
ten, they  found  to  be,  for  its  use,  a  child's  toy. 
Words  of  remonstrance  left  no  impression  on 
the  air.  There  was  but  one  resource.  From 
the  village  homes  and  farm-houses  around, 
amid  the  encouraging  exhortations,  as  well 
as  the  tearful  prayers  of  their  families,  the 
yeomen  took  from  their  chimney-stacks  the 
familiar  and  well-proved  weapons  of  a  life  in 
the  woods,  and  felt  for  the  first   time,   not 


Av 


104      T/ie  Battle  of  Bunker's  \BreeiVs'\  Hill, 

indeed  what   it  was  to  have  a  country,  but 
what  they  had  to  do  to  keep  it. 

Another  token  of  the  relative  importance 
of  this  day's  conflict  was  the  effect  which  the 
announcement  of  it  in  Ei:fcgland  produced 
upon  the  ministry  and  the  people.  An 
infatuated  cabinet  had  provoked  the  war 
under  the  grossest  misapprehension  of  the 
character  and  courage  of  the  inhabitants  of 
this  province.  An  infatuated  Parliament 
listened  approvingly  to  speeches  ratifying  the 
measures  of  that  ministry  as  of  easy  enforce- 
ment. The  local  information  of  our  former 
governor,  Pownall,  the  philosophy  of  Burke, 
and  the  tender  appeals  of  Lord  Chatham,  had 
in  vain  pleaded  with  lords  and  commons  that 
only  conciliatory  measures  could  avail  with  a 
race  of  men,  Englishmen  themselves,  the 
descendants  of  exiles  who  had  sought  a  heri- 
tage of  freedom  in  a  tamed  wilderness.  The 
last  three  royal  governors  of  Massachusetts 
had  represented  the  provincials  as  under  the 
control  of  a  few  ambitious  leaders,  dema- 
gogues, and  revolutionists,  who,  by  exciting 
speeches,  cajoled  and  flattered  the  duped 
people.    All  that  needed  to  be  done  by  Parlia- 


The  Fruits  of  the  Patriot  Struggle*        105 


Lit 

ce 
he 
:ed 

var 

the 

;  of 

lent 
the 

irce- 

■mer 

irke, 
had 
that 
th  a 
the 
tieri- 
The 
setts 
r  the 
ema- 
:itn-ig 
luped 
:'aiiia- 


ment  was  to  silence  these  fustian  leaders. 
The  principal  cajoling  proved  to  have  been 
practised  on  the  English  people,  who  bad 
been  told  that  one  regiment  of  the  King's 
troopc^  would  sweep  the  provincials  off  the 
continent.  The  battle  gave  them  a  simple 
Rule  of  Three.  If  so  many  of  his  Majesty's 
soldiers  had  been  necessary  to  reduce  the 
square  feet  of  ground  on  the  peninsula  of 
Charlestown,  how  many  would  be  needed  to 
sweep  the  continent } 

General  Gage's  account  of  the  battle,  ac- 
knowledging the  loss  of  226  killed  and  828 
wounded,  was  received  in  London,  July  25th. 
While  the  ministry  received  with  dismay  this 
official  intelligence,  and  kept  it  back  from 
publication,  many  private  letters  accompany- 
ing it  in  its  transit  anticipated  with  exaggera- 
tions its  humiliating  details.  These  being 
made  public,  the  ministry  gave  forth  their 
own  version  in  the  "  Gazette  "  in  as  favorable 
a  tone  as  was  possible,  from  the  despatches 
of  Gage,  Howe,  and  Burgoyne.  The  last  of 
these  wrote  to  Lord  Stanley  that  "  the  day 
ended  with  glory."  General  Gage  wrote  to 
Lord    Dartmouth,    the    head    of    the    War 


io6     The  Battle  of  Bunker's  [^Breed's]  Hill. 


Department :  '*  The  rebels  arc  not  the  despi- 
cable rabble  too  many  suppose  them  to  be  ; 
and  I  find  it  owing  to  a  military  spirit  encour- 
aged among  them  for  a  few  years  past,  joined 
with  an  uncommon  degree  of  zeal  and  enthu- 
siafim,  that  they  are  otherwise." 

On  the  reception  in  England  of  the  ac- 
counts of  the  battle  by  the  provincials,  with 
their  comments  and  resolves  for  the  future, 
the  English  people  were  excited  by  varying 
feelings  of  sympathy  for  us,  or  vengeful  hate 
against  us,  and  either  poured  forth  contempt 
and  complaint  against  the  ministry,  or  de- 
manded of  them  more  violence.  The  revenue 
which  was  promised  to  the  exchequer  of  Great 
Britain  from  the  taxation  of  the  colonists 
was  found  to  involve  enormous  charges  for 
its  collection,  —  in  the  cost  of  sending  regi- 
ments of  its  own  subjects,  and  of  foreign  mer- 
cenaries, with  munitions  of  war,  coals,  fagots, 
vinegar,  porter,  hay,  vegetables,  sheep,  oxen, 
horses,  and  clothing  —  a  good  proportion  of 
which  fell  into  the  hands  of  privateering  pro- 
vincials—  across  three  thousand  miles  of 
water.  In  the  words  of  the  old  saying,  "A 
great  deal  of  good  money  was  sent  after  what 


I 


h 
o 


■i : 

I! 


The  Fruits  of  the  Fat  riot  Struggle.        107 


ler- 
;ots, 
^xen, 
in  of 

pro- 
is    of 
"A 

[what 


was  bad."  Highlanders  were  enlisted  with 
the  promise  of  receiving  farms  here  "  whose 
owners  had  been  driven  into  the  interior." 

The  provincial  account  of  the  battle,  dated 
July  25th,  was  sent  to  Arthur  Lee,  the  agent 
in  London,  who  caused  it  to  be  published. 
In  September,  three  pestiferous  vessels  from 
here  arrived  at  English  ports,  with  sick  md 
mutilated  officers  and  men,  and  with  the 
widows  and  children  of  the  slain,  wretched 
spectacles  and  wretched  sufferers. 

The  conduct  of  the  battle  on  the  part  of  the 
British  generals  was  the  subject  of  criticism, 
censure,  and  ridicule  from  the  authorities  and 
the  people.  Ingenious  plans  were  set  forth 
by  which  the  British,  unscathed,  might  have 
routed  or  entrapped  the  provincials,  as  if  they 
had  been  so  many  lambs. 

The  despatches  which  had  been  repaired 
and  transmitted  to  General  Gage,  directing 
his  future  movements,  were  accompanied  by 
others,  recalling  him  and  committing  the  com- 
mand to  Howe.  The  latter,  unmanned  and 
dispirited,  was  to  fare  no  better  than  did  his 
predecessor.  Remonstrances,  petitions,  and 
public  meetings  in  England  in  opposition  to 


io8      The  Battle  of  Bunker's  [Breed's]  HilL 


II 


the  ^ar,  the  reluctance  of  soldiers  to  enlist, 
the  high  bounties  paid,  and  the  increasing 
number  of  the  avowed  and  secret  friends  of 
the  Americans,  were  other  effects  of  our 
opening  battle. 

The  British  strongly  fortified  both  Bun- 
ker's and  Breed's  Hills,  posting  their  advanced 
guards  upon  the  Neck.  Thus  they  had  two 
peninsulas  and  a  little  more  room,  offering 
them  one  great  advantage,  but  no  more.  The 
cool  heights  of  Charlestown  were  a  refuge  in 
the  hot  weather  from  the  deadly  atmosphere 
of  Boston,  which  was  one  vast  hospital.  But 
the  enemy  had  double  labor  and  anxiety  in 
defending  their  works  against  an  insulting, 
vexatious,  and  ever-watchful  foe  quite  near 
to  them,  and  in  the  ensuing  winter  were 
exposed  to  severe  sufferings  from  the  intense 
cold  and  driving  snowstorms,  with  insufficient 
shelter  and  no  fuel.  Nor  did  the  possession 
of  Charlestown  at  all  increase  their  facilities 
for  obtaining  fresh  provisions,  in  which  the 
interior  country  abounded.  They  had  had 
little  of  the  kind  since  the  affair  at  Lexington. 
Handbills  were  printed  at  Cambridge,  and  sent 
floating  on  the  wind  across  the  lines  into  the 


The  Fruits  of  the  Patriot  Struggle.        109 


t, 

g 
of 

ur 

m- 
:cd 
wo 

ing 
rhe 
z  in 
lierc 
But 
ty  in 

:ing, 
near 

were 
case 
cient 
ssion 
tlities 
the 
had 
lo-ton. 
sent 
Ito  the 


rebel  camp,  taunting  them  with  the  contrast 
in  their  bills  of  fare.     Thus  :  — 


Prospect  Hill. 

1.  Seven  dollars  a  month. 

2.  P'resh  provisions,  and  in 

plenty. 

3.  Health. 

4.  Freedom,  ease,  affluence, 

and  a  good  farm. 


Bunker's  Hill. 

1.  Threepence  a  day. 

2.  Rotten  salt  pork. 

3.  The  scurvy. 

4.  Slavery,      beggary,      and 

want. 


A  British  officer,  writing  from  Boston,  July 
25,  to  a  friend  in  London,  says,  they  felt 
themselves  worse  off  than  the  rebels,  like  a  few 
children  in  a  large  crowd,  insulted  and  men- 
aced, and  dreading  an  attack  when  the  long 
nights  came.  He  adds :  "  They  know  our 
situation  as  well  as  we  do  ourselves,  from  the 
villains  that  are  left  in  town,  who  acquaint 
them  with  all  our  proceedings,  making  signals 
by  night  with  gunpowder,  and  at  day  out  of 
the  church  steeples.  About  three  weeks  ago, 
three  fellows  were  taken  out  of  one  of  the 
latter  [the  West  Church],  who  confessed  that 
they  had  been  so  employed  for  seven  days. 
Another  was  caught  last  week  swimming 
over  to  the  rebels  with  one  of  their  general's 
passes  in  his  pocket.     He  will  be  hanged  in 


1 1  o      The  Battle  of  Bunker's  {Breed's]  Hill. 


I 


'•t 


a  day  or  two."  This  officer  and  his  friends 
would  have  had  many  more  such  tricks  to 
report  had  their  eyes  been  sharper. 

It  would  be  of  interest,  were  this  the  place 
for  it,  to  sketch  in  some  detail  the  experiences 
and  the  anxieties  of  both  armies  during  the 
heats  of  the  summer,  the  mellowness  of  the 
autumn,  and  the  severities  of  the  winter  that 
followed  upon  the  collision  between  them  that 
has  just  been  reviewed.  As  one  in  that  series 
of  miscalculations  and  blunders  which  char- 
acterized the  whole  conduct  of  the  military 
leaders  here,  as  of  the  parliamentary  leaders 
in  England,  the  successor  of  Gage  failed  to 
possess  himself  of  the  heights  on  the  other 
side  of  Boston  before  V^^.shington  occupied 
them,  and  held  the  British  army  under  his 
guns.  It  was  the  middle  of  March.  Our 
great  chief  was  willing  to  allow  General  Howe 
a  few  days  to  pack  up  and  take  his  fleet  to 
other  waters,  because  any  molestation  of  him 
would  have  involved  injury  to  the  people  of 
Boston  and  their  property. 

It  is  pleasant  to  close  this  rehearsal  of  a 
strife,  amid  scenes  now  smiling  in  all  the  love- 
liness and  prosperity  of  a  century  of  peace,  by 


mds 
s  to 

;)lace 

inces 

f  the 

i  the 

•  that 

1  that 

series 
char- 

ilitary 

eadcrs 

[led  to 
other 

cupied 

ler  his 
Our 
Howe 
eet  to 
of  him 
pie  of 

il  of  a 
le  love- 
jace,  by 


T/ie  Fniits  of  the  Patriot  Struggle.         1 1 1 

reference  to  a  symbol  more  expressive  even 
than  that  of  a  sword  beaten  into  a  plough- 
share. When  the  first  beams  of  the  morning 
exposed  to  the  view  of  the  enemy  the  work 
which  Colonel  Prescott  had  been  doing  in  the 
night,  the  sloop-of-war  "  Falcon,"  in  command 
of  Captain  Linzee,  lying  in  the  river,  poured 
forth  with  her  consorts  the  rattling  shot  in 
bombarding  it.  The  grandson  of  the  Ameri- 
can commander,  the  late  William  Hickling 
Prescott,  the  accomplished  and  distinguished 
historian,  and  a  man  honored  and  endeared  to 
all  who  knew  him,  married  the  granddaughter 
of  Captain  Linzee.  For  many  years  the  swords 
of  these  two  officers,  crossed  peacefully,  orna- 
mented one  of  the  friezes  of  the  library  of  the 
historian.  And  now,  with  an  appropriate  in- 
scription for  the  legacy,  they  grace  an  apart- 
ment of  the  library  of  the  Massachusetts 
Historical  Society. 


i  11 


1 1 2      The  Battle  of  Bunker's  \^Breed's\  HilL 


NOTE. 

The  writer  of  the  preceding  pages  indulges  here 
in  some  personal  references,  slight  as  they  con- 
cern himself,  more  important  as  they  relate  to 
others. 

For  a  period  of  thirty  consecutive  years,  1840— 
1869,  he,  being  then  a  resident  of  Charlestown, 
stood  each  year,  on  the  morning  and  evening  of 
the  anniv^ersary  of  the  battle,  on  the  heights  which 
it  made  memorable,  walked  the  grounds  and  re- 
viewed the  surroundings  of  the  scene.  On  the 
first  of  those  years,  —  sixty-five  years  having 
elapsed  since  the  conflict,  —  and  for  a  few  that 
followed,  the  historic  scene  in  many  of  its  interest- 
ing features  was  comparatively  unchanged.  On 
the  top  and  skirts  of  Bunker's  Hill  there  were  but 
few  dwellings  amid  its  open  pasture-grounds,  and 
on  the  northern  and  western  parts  of  it  the  ridges 
and  trenches,  the  lines  and  the  bastions  of  the 
elaborate  fortifications  made  by  the  British  while 
they  held  it,  were  easily  traceable.  Moulton's 
Hill,  at  the  entrance  upon  the  bridge  to  Chelsea, 
where  the  regulars  landed  and  lunched,  was  then 
at  its  full  elevation,  and  brick-kilns,  tan-3^ards,  and 


Note, 


1^3 


[lere 
con- 
e  to 

840- 

own, 

ng  of 

»vhich 

id  re- 

n  the 

iving 
that 

erest- 
On 

re  but 
5,  and 
•idges 
)f  the 
while 
Iton's 
el  sea, 
then 
s,  and 


sloughy  ground  occupied  most  of  the  space  be- 
tween it  and  the  slope  of  Breed's  Mill.  The 
skirts  of  both  Bunker's  and  Breed's  Hill  down  to 
the  shore  of  the  Mystic,  were,  for  the  most  part, 
in  their  earlier  condition,  enabling  one  to  trace 
the  relation  of  the  simple  defences  made  by  the 
rail-fence,  and  the  breastwork  and  redoubt. 
There  were  many  points  on  Breed's  Hill  irom 
which  a  view  was  offered  of  Copp's  Hill,  and  of 
the  route  of  our  forces  from  Cambridge.  The 
slopes  of  Breed's  Hill,  on  all  the  four  sides,  which 
have  since  been  wholly  removed  for  streets  and 
dwellings,  were  then  as  nature  left  them.  The 
Fitcnburg,  Boston  and  Maine,  and  Eastern  Rail- 
roads, had  not  then  spanned  the  river  with  their 
bridges.  When  strangers  from  abroad,  and  visit- 
ors, asked  the  writer's  company  in  their  outlook 
upon  the  scene,  it  had  in  laige  measure  a  self- 
explanatory  aspect.  He  watched  diligently  the 
spades  and  picks  of  the  laborers  as  they  removed 
the  earth  on  the  sides  of  the  hill.  The  depth  of 
the  levelling  is  indicated  now  by  the  height  of  the 
banks  bordering  the  remnant  that  makes  the  site 
of  the  monument.  Many  cannon-balls,  the  mis- 
siles of  the  British  ships  and  batiery,  came  to  light, 
of  which  the  writer  picked  up  two. 

While  in  1840,  and  for  a  short  time  afterwards, 
the    natural    features  of    the   scene   and   its  sur- 

8 


i,n 


!'  I 


114      T/ie  Battle  of  Bunker^ s  [Breed^s]  Hill. 

roundings  were  so  little  changed,  there  were  many 
persons  living  in  the  town  and  its  neighborhood 
who  had  personal  knowledge  and  vivid  remem- 
brances of  things  seen  and  heard  on  the  memo- 
rable day  which  laid  the  town  in  ashes.  Men  and 
women,  who  were  not  quite  fourscore  years  of  age, 
as  well  as  those  who  were  older,  who  had  been 
born  and  brought  up  in  the  town,  and  had,  as 
children,  been  removed  from  it  by  their  parents 
on  the  eve  of  the  battle,  to  watch  it  from  the 
neighboring  hill-tops,  and  those  who  had  even 
done  some  service  on  the  day,  were  still  lingering 
here  or  in  the  adjoining  towns.  Of  what  they  had 
themselves  seen  and  known  they  were  interesting 
and  trustworthy  relators.  They  were  the  less  so 
as  reporters  of  what  they  had  heard  from  others. 
Confusion  of  memory  and  imagination,  of  course, 
would  in  some  instances  qualify  the  reliance  to 
be  given  to  their  narrations.  The  writer  had 
occasion  to  make  allowance  for  that  peculiar 
characteristic  of  aged  and  communicative  per- 
sons, by  which,  when  they  are  consulted  as  oracles 
about  wonders  and  catastrophes,  they  are  apt  to 
substitute  the  remembrances,  experiences,  and 
narratives  of  others  for  their  own.  Enough  there 
were,  however,  of  surviving  actors,  witnesses,  and 
sharers  in  the  excitements  and  distresses  of  that 
day,  to  give  efficient   help  to  one  who  had  its 


Note, 


115 


my 

ood 

em- 

mo- 

and 

age, 
been 

d,  as 

rents 

n  the 
even 

prering 

sy  had 

resting 

ess  so 
thers. 
ourse, 
nee  to 
r  had 
ecuUar 

e   per- 
oracles 
apt  to 
s,  and 
ih  there 
es,  and 
of  that 
had  its 


scenes  and  their  surroundings  before  him,  and 
had  diligently  read  its  printed  and  manuscript 
memorials,  with  the  effort  to  reproduce  its  reali- 
ties. There  was  a  pathos  in  the  relations  of  some 
of  these  aged  people,  wliich  unerringly  distin- 
guished between  the  impressions  written  deep  in 
the  distresses  of  memory,  and  those  caught  by 
the  imagination  from  the  tales  of  others.  Those 
who  had  seen  the  happy  homes  of  their  childhood, 
with  their  little  treasures,  melt  away  in  the  con- 
flagration ;  those  who  had  heard  the  roar  of  the 
musketry  and  cannon,  and  had  looked  upon  the 
wounded  borne  off  to  some  chance  shelter  ;  those 
who  were  the  first  to  return  impoverished  and 
homeless  to  the  scene  of  ruin,  marked  by  tottering 
chimney-stacks,  cellars  of  rubbish,  and  charred 
well-sweeps,  to  reclaim  at  least  their  spot  of  re- 
deemed soil,  —  might  be  trusted  by  one  who 
listened  to  them  as  speaking  the  truth. 

The  grandparents  of  Ex-Mayors  Timothy 
Thompson  Sawyer  and  Richard  Frothingham  — 
who  are  cousins  —  left  their  home  in  Charlestown 
on  the  evening  of  the  19th  of  April,  and  crossed 
the  river  into  Maiden,  thence  to  look  upon  the 
wreck  of  so  much  that  was  dear  to  them.  On 
their  return  to  the  scene  of  ruins,  their  son, 
Timothy  Thompson,  was  the  first  male  child  born 
on  the  spot,  Feb.  24,  1777.     His  mother  lived  to 


I 


1 16      The  Battle  of  Bunker's  [Breed^s]  Hill. 

enjoy  the  visit  of  Lafayette,  the  laying  of  the 
corner-stone  of  the  Monument,  and  the  delivery 
of  Webster's  oration,  at  its  completion,  and  died  in 
1848,  in  her  ninety-third  year.  The  memory  of 
the  venerable  lady  held  what  was  not  to  be  found 
in  books.  The  newspapers  and  posters  of  the 
time  were  filled  with  advertisements  of  things  lost 
or  stolen.  In  many  cases  members  of  scattered 
families  were,  for  some  time,  ignorant  of  each 
other's  whereabouts. 

The  many  ancient  tombs  in  the  burial-hill,  with 
their  armorial  bearings  and  their  extinct  names, 
show  that  a  number  of  families,  once  resident 
with  ample  means  in  the  town,  have  lost  their 
places  on  the  list  of  inhabitants,  and  left  no 
representatives.  Such  of  them  as  were  living  at 
the  time,  driven  from  their  homes  and  reduced  to 
want,  never  returned  again. 

In  1 84 1,  the  writer  was  invited  by  a  military 
company  to  prepare  and  deliver  an  "  oration,''  for 
a  celebration,  in  connection  with  the  civil  authori- 
ties, of  the  anniversary  of  the  battle  for  that  year. 
In  undertaking  the  task,  he  found  to  his  surprise 
that  there  was  not  to  be  had  in  print  nor  in  manu- 
script any  extended,  authentic,  and  adequate  pro- 
duction that  might  be  called  a  History  of  the 
Battle,  written  within  a  half  century  after  it,  by 
any  actor  or  spectator,  giving  a  connected  account 


Note, 


117 


I,  with 
lames, 
isident 
,t  their 
left  no 
ving  at 
ced  to 


lilitary 
m,"  for 
Luthovi- 
lat  year, 
(surprise 
manu- 
iate  pro- 
of  the 

^r  it,  by 
account 


of  the  preparation,  the  conduct  and  events  in 
detail  which  it  involved.  Returns,  reports,  and 
results  communicated  to  the  authorities  of  the 
time,  for  specific  purposes,  fragmentary  sketches, 
extracts  from  journals,  letters,  and  newspapers, 
there  were  in  abundance,  but  no  narrative  reach- 
ing the  standard  of  an  historical  monograph.  Per- 
haps an  exception  should  be  made  to  the  sweep 
of  this  statement,  in  a  recognition  of  the  earnest 
efforts  of  the  late  Colonel  Samuel  Swett,  of  Bos- 
ton, who  in  18 18  contributed  to  an  edition  of 
Humphrey's  "  Life  of  General  Putnam,"  "  An 
Historical  and  Topographical  Sketch  of  Bunker 
Hill  Battle."  This  was  prepared  while  the  con- 
tention was  waging  fiercely  among  the  champions 
of  the  different  names  claimed  for  the  chief  or 
the  divided  honors  of  the  command  on  the  17th  of 
June.  Colonel  Swett  twice  enlarged  his  sketch, 
and  published  it  in  a  pamphlet,  with  much  new 
and  valuable  matter  gathered  by  his  inquiries 
from  his  military  friends  and  many  survivors  of 
the  field.  His  laborious  and  zealous  investiga- 
tions were  most  opportunely  pursued  \  and  their 
results  in  their  last  form  were  made  public  in 
1826  and  1827,  in  connection  with  the  then  recent 
ceremonies  at  the  laying  of  the  corner-stone  of  the 
monument.  He  too,  however,  was  charged  with 
exhibiting  the  spirit,  prejudices,  and  favoritism  of 


ff 


:il: 


k^ 


1 1 8     T/te  Battle  of  Bu7ikcr's  {Breed  's\  Hill, 

a  partisan.  Though  he  says  that  "  ^olonel  Pres- 
cott  led  the  way  "  from  Cambridge,  he  adds,  "  Gen- 
eral Putnam  having  the  principal  direction  and 
superintendence  of  the  expedition."  Now  that 
the  original  witnesses  and  actors  are  all  departed, 
each  subsequent  investigator  must  make  the  best 
use  he  can  of  all  primary  and  secondary  authori- 
ties. Mr.  Richard  Frothingham,  born  and  living 
under  the  shadow  of  the  monument,  in  his  admir- 
able "  History  of  the  Siege  of  Boston,"  first  pub- 
lished in  1849,  and  since  revised,  has  given  a  most 
elaborate  and  faithful  history  of  the  battle. 

The  present  writer  had  been  privileged  for  some 
years  by  the  acquaintance  and  kindly  regards  of 
the  late  Judge  William  Prescott,  and  of  his  son, 
the  late  eminent  historian,  William  Hickling  Pres- 
cott, —  son  and  grandson  of  Colonel  Prescott. 
On  learning  of  the  task  in  which  the  writer  was 
engaged,  both  these  honored  men  expressed  their 
warmest  interest  in  his  inquiries,  and  contributed 
to  aid  them.  The  venerable  Judge  was  then  in 
his  seventy-ninth  year.  Those  who  remember 
him,  while  recalling  the  grace  and  dignity,  the 
purity  and  elevation  of  his  character,  will  also  be 
reminded  of  the  exquisite  modesty  and  retiring 
reserve  which  were  so  observable  in  him.  He 
had  read  in  silence  the  many  publications  from 
the  year   18 18,   in  which    different  writers   had 


Note. 


119 


md 
hat 
ted, 

DCSt 

lori- 

ving 

Imir- 

pub- 

most 

some 

rds  of 
son, 
Pres- 
scott. 
r  was 
I  their 
buted 
[len  in 
lember 
ly,  the 
Iso  be 
[etiring 
He 
from 
s  had 


appeared  as  champions  or  advocates  of  the  claims 
of  the  several  officers  to  the  command  of  the 
detachment  sent  to  Charlestovvn  on  the  night 
before  and  on  the  day  of  the  battle.  Of  course 
his  filial  feelings  and  his  sense  of  justice  were 
aggrieved  by  the  dispute  and  pleas  which  deprived 
his  honored  and  patriotic  father  of  his  rightful 
laurels.  But  he  entered  no  remonstrance ;  he 
neither  wrote  nor  publicly  spoke  on  the  side  which 
he  well  knew  to  be  that  of  simple  truth.  He  was 
content  in  the  belief  that  the  time  would  come, 
with  the  investigation,  and  the  voice  and  the  pen 
that  would  set  the  facts  of  the  case  on  the  page 
of  history.  He  was  himself  a  youth  in  his  thir- 
teenth year  on  his  father's  farm  in  Pepperell  on 
the  day  of  the  battle,  and  his  father  lived  twenty 
years  after  it.  With  frank  and  assured  confi- 
dence he  communicated  to  the  writer  that  his 
father  always  regarded  and  spoke  of  himself  as 
in  full  command  at  the  battle,  as  having  received 
and  fulfilled  the  order  of  General  Ward  to  intrench 
and  defend  the  works,  as  having  conducted  the 
movements  of  the  day,  and  made  return  of  its 
issue  at  head-quarters. 

With  such  opportunities  and  helps,  the  "ora- 
tion "  asked  for  was  prepared,  delivered,  and  then 
published.  The  historical  details  in  it,  with  origi- 
nal documents,  and  an  account  of  the  monument, 


V  \\ 


■  1  ^ 


1 20      The  Battle  of  Bunker's  [Breed^s]  Hill, 


t1 


I 


I 


ii    ' 


were  afterwards  brought  together  by  the  writer 
into  a  small  volume,  published  anonymously  by 
Mr.  C.  P.  Emmons,  of  Charlestown,  in  1843. 
Several  thousand  copies  of  this  publication  have 
been  issued,  and  it  is  now  out  of  print.  In  a  num- 
ber of  the  "  New  York  Historical  Magazine  "  for 
June,  1868,  devoted  to  the  battle,  this  publication 
is  referred  to  and  quoted  as  '*  Emmons's  Sketches." 
The  matter  of  the  oration  and  of  the  book  is  sub- 
stantially given  in  the  preceding  pages. 

Sincerely  and  thoroughly  convinced  as  the  writer 
became,  through  his  investigations,  that  Colonel 
Prescott  was  the  trusted  and  the  responsible  leader 
and  commander  in  the  action  at  Charlestown,  he 
assigned  to  him  all  the  honors  which  belonged  to 
him  as  such,  without  needing  to  reduce  in  any 
respect  the  laurels  of  his  associates,  except  in 
not  subordinating  him,  as  others  had  done  to  them. 
It  is  believed  that  for  the  first  time  the  full  truth 
was  then  set  forth  in  connection  with  historic  de- 
tails. One  recognition  especially  rewarded  the 
writer.  He  therefore  ventures  to  put  in  print  a 
letter  which  he  received  from  Judge  Prescott,  ac- 
knowledging the  gift  of  a  copy  of  his  "  Oration." 
He  hardly  need  apologize  for  not  mutilating  it,  by 
suppressing  the  personal  compliments  which  it 
contains.  The  letter  was  written  from  the  Judge's 
summer  residence. 


Note, 


121 


ter 
by 

43- 
ive 

.im- 

for 

tion 

.es." 

sub- 

riter 

louel 

iader 

n,  he 

ed  to 
any 
Dt  in 
hem. 
truth 
ic  de- 
d  the 
:int  a 
tt,  ac- 
Llion." 
it,  by 
lich   it 
idge's 


"Nahant,  July  19th,  1S41. 

My  dear  Sir,  —  I  heartily  thank  you  for  the  copy 
of  the  excellent  and  eloquent  oration  which  you  had 
the  goodness  to  send  me.  It  is  by  far  the  most  intel- 
ligible and  correct  account  I  have  seen  of  that  rather 
confused  battle.  I  beg  you  to  believe  we  are  not  un- 
mindful of  the  very  kind  and  flattering  terms  in  which 
you  have  spoken  of  my  father,  not  forgetting  his 
descendants.  I  have  always  thought  —  indeed  known 
—  that  the  accounts  commonly  given  of  that  action 
were  incorrect,  at  leasts  and  you  may  be  assured  it 
afforded  me  no  little  pleasure  to  find  that  an  orator 
selected  to  commemorate  the  anniversary  in  a  town 
whose  inhabitants  were  witnesses  to  the  battle,  was 
able,  and  had  the  independence  at  this  late  day,  upon 
a  careful  examination  of  facts,  to  do  justice  to  Colonel 
Prescott  in  apportioning  the  honors  of  the  battle-field 
among  the  heroes  of  the  day.  This  oration,  though 
but  a  pamphlet  in  form,  will,  I  doubt  not,  lead  the  way 
to  more  correct  views  on  the  subject.  The  loss  of 
the  record  of  the  appointment  to  the  command,  the 
great  popularity  of  some  names,  and  the  efforts  of 
friends,  doubtless  contributed  to  making  and  keeping 
alive  the  erroneous  impressions  that  have  more  or 
less  prevailed.  No  friend  of  Colonel  Prescott  ever 
wrote  a  line,  or  took  an  afiidavit  or  declaration  on  the 
su1)ject,  to  my  knowledge.  General  Dearborn's  state- 
ment was  wholly  unknown  to  me  till  I  saw  it  in  print, 
and  then  I  much  regretted  its  appearance.  It  is  a 
delicate  and  difficult  task,  as  you  observe,  to  distribute 


1 2  2     The  Battle  of  Bunker's  [Breed  V]  /////. 


the  honors  of  a  battle  among  the  leaders  ;  and  it  is  more 
especially  so  when  the  rank  of  officers  is  unsettled, 
orders  are  wanting,  and  the  action  somewhat  confused. 
But  the  principle  you  have  adopted,  to  leave  it  to  be 
determined  by  the  parts  acted  by  the  different  com- 
petitors, one  would  think,  could  not  be  complained  of. 
I  am  particularly  pleased  with  your  just  remarks  on 
the  effects  of  the  battle.     They  ought  not  to  be  over- 
looked or  forgotten.     The  Americans  lost  the  field,  it 
,  is  true ;  but  they  won  a  great  moral  victory,  which  was 
felt  in  every  battle  to  the  end  of  the  war.     It  made 
the  brave  Howe  a  cautious,  if  not  timid,  commander. 
I  am,  my  dear  Sir, 

Ever  respectfully  and  very  faithfully  yours, 

William  Prescott." 

That  the  Judge  should  have  shared  with  his 
father  thirty-three  years  of  their  joint  lives,  and 
not  have  the  fullest  means  of  knowing,  in  filial 
confidence,  the  place  which  he  had  filled  and  the 
service  he  had  performed  on  the  memorable  day, 
is,  of  course,  inconceivable.  The  more  rare  and 
impressive  are  the  modesty  and  the  self-respecting 
dignity  which  he  manifested,  when  pens  and 
tongues  were  so  busy  and  so  emphatic  in  the 
championship  of  other  names  as  leaders  and 
commanders,  in  not  entering  into  the  controversy 
in  his  father's  advocacy.  The  writer  was  also 
assured  by  Judge  Prescott  —  indeed  he  has  it  in 
writing  from  his  own  pen  —  that   Colonel   John 


t. 


ai 


Note. 


123 


re 

'd, 

id. 

be 

>m- 

of. 

;  on 

ver- 

d,  it 

was 

nade 

.der. 


irs, 

OTT 


)> 


Is  it  iti 

John 


Trumbull,  the  painter,  in  1786,  of  the  fancy  piece 
of  ihe  *'  Battle  of  Bunker  Hill,"  in  which  Putnam 
appears  as  the  commander  of  the  redoubt,  at 
Judge  Prescott's  dinner-table,  expressed  his  sin- 
cere regret  at  the  error  he  had  committed,  and 
his  desire  and  purpose  to  rectify  it. 

It  was  not  through  any  set  purpose  of  depre- 
ciating the  rightful  claims  of  one,  or  of  exagger- 
ating those  of  another,  in  the  discharge  of 
honorable  and  responsible  services,  nor  with  any 
object  of  confounding  the  truth  of  history,  that 
such  divergences  of  statement  and  displacement 
of  official  services  had  come  into  the  rehearsal  of 
the  events  of  the  day.  The  confusion  of  the 
whole  action,  from  its  start  to  its  close  ;  the  tra- 
versing of  the  field  by  some,  and  the  stationary 
places  of  others  ;  the  relative  importance  assigned 
to  various  positions  and  movements  on  it ;  the 
different  reports  which  different  pairs  of  eyes 
made  to  different  observers;  and  the  conclusion 
drawn  by  individuals  that  the  highest  military 
rank  carried  with  it  the  right  of  command,  — 
these,  and  various  other  obvious  suggestions,  will 
go  far  to  explain  the  facts  we  have  recognized  in 
the  championship  of  one  or  another  of  our  officers. 
As  a  consequence,  however.  Colonel  Prescott  had 
been,  to  say  the  least,  depreciated  on  the  canvas 
and  on  the  pages  of  many  narratives. 


II!' 


llilli 


m 


w  I 


'U   I 


1 24     T/ie  Baffle  of  Bunker's  [Breed's]  Hill. 

Even  in  the  local  territorial  awards  recognized 
in  the  distribution  of  memorials  in  the  town  of 
Charlestown,  this  relative  neglect,  though  never 
intended,  had  a  significant  manifestation.  Up 
to  1857,  Charlestown  had  four  conspicuous  public 
grammar-school  edifices,  and  four  contiguous 
streets,  bearing  with  admirable  propriety  the 
names,  respectively,  of  Winthrop,  Harvard,  War- 
ren, and  Bunker  Hill.  Winthrop,  as  first  resident 
governor  of  the  Colony,  with  the  charter,  had 
come  to  Charlestown  on  another  17th  of  June, 
1630,  and  began  its  settlement.  Harvard,  a  re- 
vered minister  of  the  town,  and  the  founder  of  the 
college,  had  died,  and  was  buried  here.  Warren 
had  fallen  on  the  Hill,  and  received  all  the  honors 
of  the  patriot.  Bunker  Hill  Street  crossed  over 
the  brow  of  that  summit,  and  the  school-house,  so 
named,  was  at  its  base.  There  was  also  a  street 
bearing  the  name  of  Putnam.  A  short  side-street 
had  the  name  of  Prescott. 

When,  in  1857,  the  increase  of  the  population 
made  another  and  a  very  large  school-edifice  nec- 
essary, the  writer,  being  a  member  of  the  school 
committee  of  Charlestown,  then  become  a  city, 
availed  himself  of  the  opportunity  to  urge  the 
recognition  of  the  name  of  ''  Prescott."  He  suc- 
ceeded in  his  object,  and  was  privileged  by  an 
appointment  to  deliver  the  address  inaugurating 
the  spacious  building,  Dec.  15,  1857. 


;i[i 


Note, 


125 


id 
oi 

Up 
)\ic 
ous 
the 
Var- 
dent 

had 
[une, 
a  re- 
3f  the 
barren 
onois 
:1  over 

se,  so 

street 

-street 

ilatlon 
:e  nec- 
I  school 

a  city, 
Icre  the 

[e  sue- 
by  an 

[urating 


or  course,  the  distinj^nished  historian,  then 
living  in  Boston,  was  asked  to  give  his  personal 
presence  on  an  occasion  meant  to  do  honor  to  a 
name  borne  through  three  generations,  by  soldier, 
judge,  and  scholar.  The  writer  was  well  aware 
of  that  shrinking  diffidence  of  his  which  had  in 
no  case  ever  yielded  to  the  many  attempts,  made 
alike  in  America  and  in  Europe,  to  draw  from 
him,  in  answer  to  compliments,  a  speech  either 
at  the  dinner-table  or  on  the  platform.  He  was 
not  surprised,  therefore,  in  receiving,  in  answer 
to  the  invitation,  a  note,  from  which  the  following 
is  an  extract:  "You  know  my  infirmity  in  the  way 
of  public  speaking.  To  talk  frankly  with  you,  I 
should  not  be  satisfied  to  be  present  on  that  occa- 
sion, so  complimentary  to  myself,  and  sit  like  a 
dumb  dog,  as  if  I  were  not  sensible  of  the  distin- 
guished honor  conferred  on  me.  Yet,  as  I  have 
got  on  so  far  [sixty-one  years]  without  opening 
my  lips  in  public,  I  feel  that  it  is  now  too  late  to 
begin." 

Mr.  Prescott,  however,  yielded  his  objections,  on 
the  assurance  of  immunity  for  his  "  infirmity,"  — 
a  rare  one  for  Americans.  The  mayor  of  the 
city,  —  the  Hon.  T.  T.  Sawyer,  —  who  received 
him,  the  Hon.  George  S.  Boutwell,  Secretary 
of  the  Massachusetts  Board  of  Education,  Mayor 
Rice  of  Boston,  and  other  guests  of  the  occasion 


126      The  Battle  of  Bunker's  {Breed's]  Hill 


with  generous  hospitality,  in  his  felicitous  official 
adclres:'  said  :  "  It  is  a  common  '^ustom  to  give 
to  public  buildings  names  which  shall  express 
some  idea  of  goodness,  of  usefulness,  or  of  honor, 
or  which  shall  connect  the  memory  of  some  good 
or  great  man,  or  thing,  with  the  edifice,  and  keep 
fresh  in  the  mind  the  lesson  which  the  name  may 
convey.  To  this  building  we  have  attached  the 
name  of  '  Prescott.'  It  will  be  suggestive  of 
manliness,  of  faithfulness,  and  of  learning.  It  has 
character  and  accomplishment  to  recommend  it ; 
tried  merit,  rather  than  ephemeral  greatness,  for 
the  basis  on  which  it  rests  \  and  we  have  confi- 
dently adopted  it  for  its  appropriateness  and  value. 
We  are  on  the  soil  of  Bunker  Hill  [near  the  site 
of  the  *  Rail  Fence '],  and  we  are  in  the  presence 
of  one  of  Massachusetts'  noblest  sons  ;  and  if  we 
may  appropriate  the  influence  of  both,  and  there 
is  any  value  in  a  name,  we  can  commit  no  error  in 
adopting  that  of  *  Prescott.'  " 

In  the  writer's  dedicatory  address,  after  an  allu- 
sion to  the  historian's  labors  and  fame,  in  his 
presence,  he  added :  "  If  you  were  not  here,  I 
should  say  more.  I  must  also  respect  the  contract 
on  which  you  come,  —  that  the  reserve  which,  in 
spite  of  your  busy  skill  with  your*  pen,  has  kept 
your  lips  closed  upon  all  public  occasions  shall 
not  be  rudely  broken  in  upon  here  by  the  neces- 


Note. 


127 


[icial 

give 
press 
onor, 
good 

keep 
I  may 
:d  the 
ive  of 
It  has 
;nd  jt ; 
ss,  for 

confi- 
,  value, 
he  site 
esence 
if  we 

i  there 

rror  in 


sity  of  a  speech.  Your  presence  in  silence  is  1 
speech  to  us.  I  know  you  will  not  esteem  it 
among  the  least  of  the  encomiums  lavished  upon 
you  by  royal  courts,  elect  academies,  and  the  great 
kepublic  of  Letters,  that  a  school  in  which  thou- 
sands are  to  be  trained  in  wisdom  bears  your 
name,  and  that  of  your  father,  mother,  and 
grandfather." 

Mr.  Prescott  rose  and  said,  "  There  is  no  greater 
honor." 

On  the  occasion  of  this  visit,  the  grandson  of 
the  Commander  on  June  17th  was  taken  to  see 
the  statue  of  General  Warren,  on  the  Hill.  He 
may  have  thought  that  a  companion  statue  would 
find  a  rightful  position  there. 


In  allu- 
in  his 
lere,  I 
)ntract 
dch,  in 
Is  kept 
Is  shall 
1  neces- 


THE  MONUMENT   UPON   BREED'S   HILL. 


ll 


II 


I 


The  imposmg  structure  which  now  rises  upon  the 
heights  of  Charlestown  marks  the  summit  where  the 
small  redoubt  was  thrown  up  by  the  American  patriots, 
on  the  night  of  the  i6th  of  June,  1775.  The  battle  has 
so  long  been  associated  with  the  name  of  Bunker's 
Hill,  that  it  seems  now  almost  vain  to  attempt  to  make 
the  correction,  which,  indeed,  some  may  think  wholly 
unimportant.  The  probability  is  that  Breed's  Hill 
was  considered  generall]  as  only  a  spur  of  Bunker's 
Hill,  and  was  not  distinguished  by  name,  except  among 
the  residents  in  Charlestown,  and  those  familiar  with 
the  localities  of  the  spot.  There  are  charts  and  views 
of  the  town,  taken  before  and  after  the  battle,  in  which 
the  lesser  summit  appears  without  any  designation.  As 
soon  as  the  spot  became  famous,  this  confusion  of  the 
names  began  to  be  manifest  ;  and  the  fact  is  worthy  of 
notice  only  as  it  presents  an  instance  that  enables  us  to 
account  for  the  disputes  which,  in  the  absence  of  historic 
documents,  have  been  attached  to  other  famous  spots 
on  the  surface  of  the  earth.  To  perpetuate  the  memory 
of  such  localities,  and  to  secure  them  against  the  du- 
bious haze  with  which  the  lapse  of  time  invests  them, 
is  perhaps  the  best  argument  which  can  be  adduced  for 
the  erection  of  costly  monuments.     Still,  there  will  be, 


I 


The  Monument  upon  Breed's  HilL         129 


L. 


the 

the 
:iots, 
ebas 
iker^s 
make 
vboUy 


as  there  now  is,  a  great  difference  of  opinion  as  to  the 
expediency  of  such  structures.    The  open  battle-field, 
undisturbed  and  unaltered  through  all  time,  would  be 
for  many  far  preferable  to  any  monument. 
^  Previous  to  the  erection  of  the  granite  monument  on 

f[  Breed's  Hill,  the  summit  was  distinguished  by  a  small 

column  in  honor  of  Major- General  Warren,  who  was 
regarded  as  the  most  eminent  and  deserving  of  the 
martyrs  of  liberty  that  fell  there.  His  body  was  iden- 
tified, on  the  morning  after  the  battle,  by  Dr.  Jeffries, 
of  Boston,  an  intimate  acquaintance  of  the  patriot.  The 
British  regarded  this  victim  as  paying  the  price  of  the 
multitude  of  their  own  slain,  and  the  Sf  ot  where  they 
interred  him  was  marked.  After  the  evacuation  of 
Boston  by  the  British  troops,  and  the  return  of  its  citi- 
zens to  their  homes,  the  friends  of  Warren  disinterred 
his  remains.  They  were  taken  from  the  Hill,  and,  on 
the  8th  of  April,  1776,  being  carB^d  in  procession  from 
the  Representatives'  Chamber  to  King's  Chapel,  were 
buried  with  all  military  honors  and  those  of  Masonry. 
Prayers  were  offered  on  the  occasion  by  the  Rev.  Dr. 
Cooper,  and  a  funeral  oration  was  delivered  by  Mr. 
Perez  Morton,  in  which  he  boldly  and  earnestly  urged 
an  entire  separation  from  Great  Britain,  as  the  right 
and  duty  of  the  colonists.  The  remains  of  General 
Warren  now  rest  within  the  cemetery  beneath  St. 
Paul's  Church. 

At  the  time  of  his  death,  Warren  was  Grand  Mas- 
ter of  Freemasons  for  North  America  ;  and,  as  such, 
it  seemed  to  tho  members  of  his  order  that  they  owed 
to  him  some  tribute  of  respectful  regard.     No  monu- 


\  \ 


U' 


m 


130         T/ie  Monument  upon  Breed^s  Ilill. 

ment  had  been  erected  on  the  spot  where  he  fell  in 
behalf  of  his  country,  and  measures  were  therefore 
instituted  for  this  double  purpose. 

A  lodge  of  Freemasons  was  constituted  in  Charles- 
town,  in  1783,  and  from  its  funds  a  monumental  column 
was  erected  to  the  memory  of  Warren,  in  1794,  on  land 
given  by  the  Hon.  James  Russell.  It  was  composed 
of  a  brick  pedestal  eight  feet  square,  rising  ten  feet 
from  the  ground,  and  supporting  a  Tuscan  pillar,  of 
wood,  eighteen  feet  high.  This  was  surmounted  by 
a  gilt  urn,  bearing  the  inscription,  "J.  W.,  aged  35," 
entwined  with  Masonic  emblems.  On  the  south  side 
of  the  pedestal  was  the  following  inscription  : . — 

"Erected  A.D.  MDCCXCIV., 

By  King  Solomon's  Lodge  of  Free  Masons, 

constituted  in  Charlestown,  1783, 

In  Memory  of 


Major-Geaeral  Joseph  Warren, 
an(Fhis  Associates, 


who  were  slain  on  this  memorable  spot,  June  17, 

1775- 

None  but  they  who  set  a  just  value  upon  the  blessings  of 
liberty  are  worthy  to  enjoy  her.  In  vain  we  toiled  ;  in 
vain  we  fought  ;  we  bled  in  vain ;  if  you,  our  offspring, 
want  valor  to  repel  the  assaults  of  her  invaders. 

Charlestown  settled,  1628. 
Burnt,  1775.     Rebuilt,  1776." 

This  column  stood  without  the  redoubt,  and  on  the 
spot  where  Warren  was  believed  to  have  fallen.  It 
remained  for  forty  years,  and  was  so  much  defaced  by 


X\ 
ai 
a  I 


The  Momwient  upon  Breed's  HilL        131 


I  in 

fore 

rles- 

lumri 

land 

posed 

I  feet 

Ur,  of 

:ed  by 

A  35>" 
th  side 


;  i7» 


ssings  of 

oiled  ;  in 

f{spring, 


[d  on  the 
lUen.  It 
ifaced  by 


time  that  it  was  removed  when  the  present  granite 
structure  was  contemplated.  The  remembrance  of  it 
will  be  cherished  by  those  who  were  familiar  with  it 
from  a  distance,  or  near  at  hand. 

The  little  wood-cut,  which  illustrates  the  monument 
raised  to  the  memory  of  Warren,  has  now  a  rare  value. 
It  is  copied  from  the  *' Analectic  Magazine,"  Philadel- 
phia, for  March,  1818,  where  it  appears  under  the 
title  of  "The  Tomb  of  Warren."  There  are  marked 
evidences  of  the  striking  fidelity  of  the  representation, 
as  many  not  very  aged  persons  will  well  remember. 
Warren  fell  on  ground  a  little  outside  of  the  redoubt, 
towards  the  north.  The  Hill,  and  the  remnants  of  the 
redoubt,  are  seen  in  their  natural  condition.  The  visi- 
tor who  drafted  the  view  was  evidently  an  interested 
observer  and  a  skilful  delineator  of  it. 

The  erection  of  a  substantial  monument  on  this  sum- 
mit had  long  been  desired  and  contemplated.  It  was 
thought  to  be  due  as  a  tribute  of  respect  to  the  patriots 
who,  in  an  early  day  of  the  Revolution,  risked  all  that 
was  dear  to  them  as  individuals,  on  a  fearful  hazard,  for 
the  good  of  their  common  country.  We  must  suppose 
and  believe  that  in  the  awful  strife,  amid  the  shrieks 
and  cfroans  of  battle,  and  in  si^ht  of  the  homes  which 
these  patriots  loved,  some  better  feeling  than  that  of 
brute  courage,  or  thirst  for  blood,  animated  them. 
How  much  of  their  fortitude  they  borrowed  from  the 
conviction  that  their  .country  would  honor  their  mem- 
ory, and  that  their  children  would  mark  the  spot  where 
they  suffered,  we  may  only  imagine.  The  objection 
which    many   conscientious   persons,  feel   to   such  a 


.  k ' 


I  ll  ■ 


\iM 


^BH! 


132         The  Mo7iiC7nent  Upon  JSreciVs  Hill. 

commemoration  seems  to  be  founded  on  the  belief 
that  a  battle  monument  is  designed  to  perpetuate 
the  feelings  of  animosity  and  strife  between  the  de- 
scendants of  the  contending  parties.  But  this  is  an 
error;  and  the  disapprobation  of  monumental  struct- 
ures, founded  upon  such  a  misconception,  would  (Equally 
apply  to  all  histories  and  delineations  of  battles.  We 
wish  to  express  our  grateful  sense  of  the  devotion 
and  bravery  of  those  who  bore  severe  sufferings  to 
relieve  us  of  lighter  burdens.  All  that  we  desire 
to  commemorate  by  the  towering  pile  now  reared  on 
the  battle-field  is  patriotism  and  self-sacrifice.  We 
believe  the  cause  was  just ;  the  Briton  may  regard  it 
otherwise  ;  but  we  may  alike  stand  upon  the  spot  and 
honor  the  heroism  of  its  victims,  without  the  rising 
of  one  vengeful  feeling. 

It  was  the  general  opinion  that,  if  any  monument  were 
to  be  erected,  it  should  be  a  substantial  one,  which 
should  do  credit  to  its  builders  and  to  their  fathers ; 
and,  instead  of  being  reared  at  the  expense  of  a  few 
wealthy  men,  or  at  public  cost,  should  be  a  free-will 
offering  from  all  the  citizens  of  this  Commonwealth,  and 
of  its  sister  Commonwealths,  according  to  their  means. 
The  result  has  been  such  as  to  make  it  probable  that 
there  is  not  a  structure  in  this  country  on  which  the 
free  contributions  of  so  many  individuals  have  been 
expended  as  upon  this.  Subscriptions  were  first  asked 
for  in  the  year  1824.  An  association,  called  *' The 
Bunker  Hill  Monument  Association,"  was  formed, 
membership  of  which  was  to  be  enjoyed  by  those  who 
subscribed  five  dollars.      An  engraved  diploma  was 


The  Monument  upon  Breed  ^s  HilL        133 


jate 
de- 
3  an 
ruct- 

ually 
We 
rotion 
igs  to 
desire 
-ed  on 
We 
gard  it 
^ot  and 
e  rising 


their  certificate,  and  their  names  were  inscribed  upon 
the  parchment  records  deposited  within  the  corner- 
stone. 

Some  incident  or  circumstance  which  should  connect 
an  enthusiastic  feeHng  with  the  commencement  of  the 
work  was  felt  to  be  necessary.  An  occasion  and  oppor- 
tunity for  this  presented  itself  on  the  visit  of  the  Mar- 
quis de  La  Fayette,  our  honored  general,  to  this  land, 
whose  battles  he  had  fought  with  the  ardor  of  youthful 
heroism,  and  whose  prosperity  was  dear  to  him  to  the 
last  day  of  his  life.  In  the  midst  of  his  triumphant  prog- 
ress through  the  country,  his  services  were  enlisted  in 
this  work.  Though  the  plan  of  the  structure  had  not 
at  this  time  been  decided  upon,  yet  it  was  thought 
most  desirable  that  the  ceremonies  of  laying  the  cor- 
ner-stone should  be  performed  by  and  in  the  presence 
of  the  guest  of  the  nation.  Accordingly,  on  the  17th  of 
June,  1825,  it  being  the  fiftieth  anniversary  of  the  battle, 
this  desire  was  gratified.  In  the  midst  of  an  immense 
concourse  of  people,  the  ceremonies  were  performed. 
By  advertisements  and  invitations  previously  inserted 
in  the  newspapers,  the  veterans  who  survived  the  day 
of  slaughter  were  earnestly  desired,  free  of  all  charge  to 
themselves,  to  come  from  their  homes,  however  distant, 
and  present  themselves,  in  one  venerable  group  of 
worthies,  to  receive  the  grateful  offering  of  a  free  peo- 
ple, on  the  first  jubilee  of  the  batde.  In  the  multitude 
that  answered  these  invitations  the  number  of  those 
who  were  actually  engaged  in  the  battle  could  not  be 
ascertained,  as  some  were  of  the  reinforcements,  who 
did  not  enter  the  field ;  some  belonged  to  regiments  or 


tI' 


134         The  Monument  upon  Breed^s  Hill. 

companies  then  at  hand,  but  not  ordered  for  the  occa- 
sion ;  and  others  were  near  or  distant  spectators  of  the 
action.  Enough  there  were  of  the  true  remnant  to  show 
their  scars  and  recount  the  scenes  the  memory  of  which 
the  lapse  of  fifty  years  had  not  dimmed.  The  younger 
survivors  of  the  band  professed  themselves  still  ready 
for  service,  should  like  occasion  demand  it ;  nor,  among 
those  whose  feeble  limbs  tottered  under  the  heaviest 
burden  of  years,  was  there  one  whose  chilled  blood  did 
not  glow  over  the  sods  of  the  battle-field,  while  the 
starting  tear  told  that  they  were  thinking  of  their  com- 
panions in  arms.  They  were  eloquently  and  touchingly 
addressed  by  the  Hon.  Daniel  Webster,  the  orator  of  the 
occasion.  La  Fayette,  standing  as  one  in  that  group  of 
survivors,  and  regretting  that  the  honor  did  not  of  right 
belong  to  him,  laid  with  his  own  hands  the  corner-stone 
of  the  projected  monument.  Masonic  ceremonies  were 
connected  with  the  occasion. 

We  cannot,  however,  attribute  to  La  Fayette  the 
honor  of  having  laid  the  corner-stone  of  the  present 
structure.  The  office  in  which  he  was  enlisted  was  a 
matter  of  mere  form  ;  no  plan  having  been  selected,  of 
course  no  adequate  foundation  was  made.  The  stone 
which  had  been  laid  by  La  Fayette  was  afterwards  put 
into  the  centre  of  the  foundation  ;  and  the  box  of  de- 
posits which  it  contained  was  taken  out  and  enclosed 
in  the  present  corner-stone,  which  is  at  the  north- 
eastern angle  of  the  structure,  looking  towards  the 
point  of  landing  of  the  enemy.  The  plan  of  the  monu- 
ment was  devised  by  Mr.  Solomon  Willard,  of  Boston, 
a  distinguished  architect ;  and  his  original  design,  fol- 


The  Monument  iipoii  BreeiVs  HllL        135 


3cca- 
)f  tbe 
show 
svhich 
unger 
ready 
aiiiong 
eaviest 
Dod  did 
lUe  tbe 
;ir  com- 
ichingly 
or  of  the 
o-roup  of 
t  of  rlgl^t 
^er-stone 
lies  were 

yette  the 
present 
ted  was  a 
lected,  of 
The  stone 
wards  put 
:0X  of  de- 
enclosed 

lie  nortiv 
[wards  the 
the  monu- 
of  Boston, 
tlesign,  fol- 


lowed throughout,  has  been  brought  to  a  successful 
completion. 

The  plan  having  been  decided  upon,  the  work  was 
resumed  about  the  middle  of  March,  1S27,  by  the  exca- 
vation of  a  new  foundation.  A  quarry  of  sienite  granite, 
situated  at  Quincy,  eight  miles  distant,  had  been  pur- 
chased and  wrought  upon  during  the  previous  spring. 
The  stone  used  for  the  foundation  and  for  the  first 
forty  feet  of  the  structure  was  transported  from  the 
quarry  on  a  railway  to  the  wharf  in  Quincy,  where  it 
was  put  into  fiat-bottomed  boats,  towed  by  steam-power 
to  the  wharf  in  Charlestown,  and  then  raised  to  the  Hill 
by  teams  moving  upon  an  inclined  plane.  The  repeated 
transfer  of  the  stones,  necessary  in  this  mode  of  con- 
veyance, being  attended  with  delay,  liability  to  accident, 
and  a  defacing  of  the  blocks,  was  abandoned  after  the 
fortieth  foot  was  laid,  and  the  materials  were  trans- 
ported by  teams  directly  from  the  quarry  to  the  Hill. 
Some  of  the  blocks  present  dark  stains  upon  their  sur- 
faces, caused  by  the  presence  of  iron.  Sometimes,  in 
the  process  of  hewing  and  hammering,  these  stains 
would  disappear ;  but  for  a  season  they  seem  to  grow 
brighter  by  exposure  to  the  air,  and  then,  by  process 
of  time,  the  influence  of  the  atmosphere,  the  weather, 
and  the  winter  frost,  they  gradually  fade  away.  Several 
of  these  stains  appear  upon  the  last  half  of  the  struct- 
ure, but  it  is  believed  they  will  slowly  disappear.  The 
application  of  any  chemical  agent  for  their  removal 
would  not  be  advisable  ;  indeed,  some  persons  think 
they  add  to  the  beauty  of  a  granite  pile  when  sparingly 
distributed  over  it.    No  one  can  stand  and  look  at  the 


MT 


136         T/ie  Monument  upon  Breed^s  Hill. 


vA\ 


m 


structure,  or  scan  it  with  a  close  observation,  without 
being  impressed  with  the  wonderful  mathematical  ac- 
curacy which  distinguishes  it.  The  joints  of  the  stones 
seem  to  be  chiselled  with  great  exactness,  as  if  they 
were  worked  with  all  the  ease  with  which  the  carpenter 
shapes  his  wood  ;  and  the  diminution  of  the  obelisk,  a 
work  of  extreme  difficulty,  has  been  faultlessly  exe- 
cuted. A  slight  failure  or  error  in  either  of  these  par- 
ticulars would  have  been  a  hideous  deformity,  and 
would  have  endangered  the  stability  of  the  structure. 
We  rely  for  its  permanence  upon  its  mathematical  ac- 
curacy, as  much  as  upon  the  solidity  of  its  materials. 

The  distinguished  honor  of  having  thus  with  scien- 
tific precision  begun  and  completed  the  imposing 
structure  belongs  to  Mr.  James  Savage,  of  Boston. 
Of  many  great  pubHc  works,  the  builder  has  been 
wholly  forgotten  ;  of  others,  the  credit  has  been  with- 
held from  the  mechanical  geniuses  who  executed  them, 
and  has  been  all  bestowed  upon  those  who  have  drafted 
the  plan  upon  paper.  But  to  execute  such  a  work, 
however  skilfully  it  may  have  been  planned,  demands  a 
rare  union  of  talents.  To  take  in  the  conception,  to 
comprehend  its  details,  to  criticise  its  excellencies  or 
defects,  to  suggest  improvements,  to  invent  facilities, 
to  combine  two  or  more  objects,  and  then  to  watch 
each  laborious  process,  guarding  against  accidents 
and  mistakes,  —  to  do  all  this  requires  one  who  is 
much  more  than  a  mechanic.  In  such  a  structure 
as  the  monument,  though  it  is  very  simple,  patience, 
care,  skill,  and  ingenious  device  were  continually 
needed.     Mr.  Savage  possessed  all  the  requisite  quali- 


The  Monmncnt  upon  Brced^s  Hill,         137 


ic- 

les 

>ey 

iter 

k,  a 

^xe- 

par- 

and 


1  quali- 


fications, and  his  name  ought  to  go  down  to  posterity 
with  the  monument.  Those  who  watched  the  risinir  of 
the  pile  could  not  fail  to  observe  his  unwearied  and 
unerring  interest  in  his  work.  He  might  be  seen  above 
or  below,  as  occasion  called  for  him  ;  now  superintend- 
ing the  setting  of  a  step;  now  suspended  upon  a  plank 
at  a  dizzy  eminence  outside  the  structure  ;  now  testin;^ 
the  strength  of  a  fastening ;  or,  with  his  hand  upon 
the  bell-wire,  sending  notice  to  the  engine  to  rest,  just 
as  a  ponderous  stone,  poised  high  in  air,  was  gently 
weighing  over  the  upper  courses  of  the  obelisk.  And, 
to  complete  the  effect  of  his  presence  of  mind  and 
skill,  there  was  no  haste  or  bustle  in  his  movements, 
and  he  was  ready  to  answer  the  questions  of  every 
visitor.  But  one  accident  occurred  during  the  whole 
work.  A  laborer,  while  engaged  in  laying  the  last 
stone  of  the  twelfth  course,  on  the  south-west  corner, 
was  pushed  off  and  killed. 

The  whole  structure  was  made  under  the  superin- 
tendence of  Mr.  Savage,  under  three  different  con- 
tracts. At  first  he  was  engaged  as  builder  by  Mr. 
Willard,  the  architect,  and  furnished  the  materials  and 
the  labor.  This  arrangement  continued  during  the 
years  1827  and  1828,  when  the  foundation  and  fourteen 
courses  of  the  superstructure  were  laid.  In  August, 
1828,  the  work  was  suspended  on  account  of  deficiency 
of  funds,  about  $56,000  having  been  expended,  includ- 
ing the  purchase  of  the  right  in  the  quarry  for  all  the 
necessary  materials,  the  gearing  at  the  wharves  and  on 
the  Hill,  which  was  complicated  and  expensive,  but  not 
including  the  purchase  of  the  land. 


Ml 


138         The  Monument  upoti  BrceiVs  IlilL 


III  the  summer  of  1834,  the  work  was  resumed. 
Mr.  Savage,  being  still  employed  by  Mr.  Willard,  was 
obliged,  on  account  of  an  engagement  for  service  under 
the  United  States  government,  to  commit  the  oversight 
of  the  work  to  Mr.  Charles  Pratt,  though  by  occasional 
visits  he  continued  to  superintend  and  direct  it.  Six- 
teen more  courses  were  laid,  when  the  work  was  again 
closed  for  want  of  funds,  in  1835,  about  $20,000  more 
having  been  expended.  Depression  in  all  the  intere^s 
of  trade  and  business,  a  derangement  in  the  financial 
affairs  of  the  country,  and  a  general  opinion  that  the 
large  sums  of  money  already  collected  had  not  been 
judicially  or  economically  expended,  will  account  for 
the  delay  in  the  completion  of  the  work.  Probably, 
however,  the  durability  of  the  structure  was  rather 
advanced  than  injured  by  the  pause  of  a  few  years. 
Suggestions  were  occasionally  offered  that  the  work 
might  be  brought  to  a  point  at  its  then  existing  eleva- 
tion, but  it  was  thought  better  to  wait  in  hope,  under 
the  conviction  that  it  would  one  day  be  completed 
according  to  the  original  plan. 

The  happy  suggestion,  which  was  offered  for  the 
sake  of  meeting  the  pecuniary  want,  and  which,  as 
soon  as  it  was  uttered,  everybody  knew  would  be 
triumphantly  realized,  came  from  the  weaker  sex,  who 
had  no  hand,  though  they  had  much  heart,  in  the 
fifijhtins:  which  had  immortalized  the  summit  It  was 
proposed  that  a  public  Fair  should  be  held  in  the  city 
of  Boston,  and  that  every  female  in  the  United  States 
of  America,  who  desired  the  honor,  should  work  with 
her  own  hands,  and  contribute  with  her  own  means,  to 


The  Monument  upon  Breed's  IlilL         139 


as 

ler 

rht 

nal 

ilx- 

rain 

\ore 

es^s 

[\cial 

:  the 

been 

it  for 

)ably, 

rather 

ears. 

work 
leleva- 

under 

i:>leted 

)r  the 
:h,  as 
lid  be 
who 
[n   the 
lit  was 
lie  city 
1  States 
k  with 
lans,  to 


furnish  (he  Fair,  the  other  sex  bcincc,  of  course,  allowed 
to  contribute  what  they  pleaseil,  and  beiiii;-  expected 
to  purchase  with  liberality.  The  plan  was  most  suc- 
cessful. A  brilliant  and  dazzling  display,  as  well  as  an 
exhibition  of  the  results  of  devoted  industry  and  cun- 
ning ingenuity,  of  which  we  have,  at  least,  as  much 
reason  to  feel  proud  as  of  the  battle,  attested  that  the 
call  was  not  made  in  vain.  The  fair  was  held  in 
Boston,  in  September,  1840,  and  its  proceeds,  with  a 
few  munificent  private  donations,  which  should  be 
considered  as  depending  upon  it,  put  within  the  hands 
of  the  Committee  of  the  Bunker  Hill  Association  a  sum 
sufficient  to  complete  the  great  object.  Mr.  Savage, 
by  a  contract  with  the  Building  Committee,  was  en- 
gaged, in  the  autumn  of  1840,  to  complete  the  work 
for  $43,800.  He  resumed  his  labor  by  laying  the  first 
stone  on  May  2,  1841,  and  finished  it  with  entire  suc- 
cess, by  depositing  the  apex  on  July  23,  1842.  The 
last  stone  was  raised  at  six  o'clock  in  the  morning 
of  that  day,  with  the  discharge  of  cannon  ;  Mr.  Ed- 
ward Carnes,  Jr.,  of  Charlestown,  accompanying  it  in 
its  ascent,  and  waving  tlie  American  flag  during  the 
process.*^ 

The  section  of  the  monument  which  accompanies 
this  description  will  convey  an  idea  of  the  mode  of  its 
construction.  The  foundation,  lying  twelve  feet  below 
the  base  of  the  structure,  is  composed  of  six  courses  of 
fair-split  stones.  The  lower  tier  rests  upon  a  bed  of 
clay  and  gravel  which  composes  the  soil  of  the  Hill  ; 
great  pains  having  been  used  in  loosening  the  earth, 
and  in  puddling  and  ramm/n^ the  stones.     The  foun- 


140         The  Monwnent  upon  Breed^s  Hill, 


dation  is  laid  in  lime  mortar  ;  the  other  parts  of  the 
structure  with  lime  mortar  mixed  with  cinders  and  iron 
filings,  and  with  Springfield  hydraulic  cement.  Below 
the  base  the  four  faces  of  the  foundation  project  into  a 
square  of  fifty  feet,  leaving  open  angles  at  the  corners, 
so  that  these  projections  act  as  buttresses.  There  are 
ninety  courses  of  stone  in  the  whole  structure,  eighty- 
four  of  them  being  above  the  ground,  and  six  of  them 
below.  The  base  is  thirty  feet  square  ;  in  a  rise  of 
two  hundred  and  eight  feet,  the  point  where  the  for- 
mation of  the  apex  begins,  there  is  a  diminution  of 
fourteen  feet  seven  and  a  half  inches.  The  net  rise 
of  the  stone  from  the  base  to  the  apex  is  two  hundred 
and  nineteen  feet  and  ten  inches,  the  seams  of  mortar 
making  the  whole  elevation  two  hundred  and  twenty- 
one  feet. 

Perpendicular  dowels,  called  Lewises  Clamps^  were 
used  to  bind  the  first  four  courses  above  the  base.  This 
was  done  chiefly  as  an  experiment,  but,  being  found  to 
be  useless  and  expensive,  the  method  was  abandoned. 
The  several  ^"es  which  compose  each  course  are 
clamped  ^'  r  by  flat  bars  of  iron,  fourteen  inche"; 


long,  tl  »s  being  turned  at  right  angles  and  sunk  in 

the  granue  five-eighths  of  an  inch. 

There  are  four  faces  of  dressed  stone  in  the  struct- 
ure, besides  the  steps  which  wind  around  the  cone 
within,  viz.,  the  exterior  and  the  interior  sides  of  the 
monument,  and  the  exterior  and  the  interior  of  the  cone 
within  it.  Twelve  stones  compose  the  exterior,  and 
six  large  circling  stones  the  interior,  of  each  course  of 
the  shaft ;  to  each  course  of  the  shaft  there  are  two 


The  Monument  upon  Breed's  Hill. 


141 


reve 
'his 

to 

Led. 

are 
Ihe". 
in 

pet- 
lone 

the 
lone 

ind 
of 

Itwo 


courses  of  the  cone,  each  being  composed  of  six 
stones,  and  four  steps  answer  to  each  course  of  the 
exterior  of  the  shaft.  Each  of  the  first  seventy-ei;,dit 
courses  of  the  exterior  of  the  shaft  is  two  feet  eight 
inches  in  height;  of  the  next  five  courses,  those  com- 
posing the  point,  the  heigiit  of  each  is  one  foot  eight 
inches  ;  the  cap  or  apex  is  a  single  stone  of  three  feet 
six  inches  in  height. 

The  exterior  diameter  of  the  cone  at  the  base  is  ten 
feet  ;  the  interior  diameter  seven  feet ;  at  the  top  of 
the  cone  the  exterior  diameter  is  six  feet  three  inches 
the  interior  diameter  four  leet  two  inches.  The  cone 
is  composed  of  one  hundred  and  forty-seven  courses 
of  stone,  each  course  being  one  foot  four  inches  in 
height. 

The  eUiptical  chamber  at  the  top  is  seventeen  feet  in 
height  and  eleven  feet  in  diameter,  with  four  windows, 
each  two  feet  eight  inches  m  height,  and  two  feet  two 
inches  in  breadth. 

There  are  numerous  apertures  in  the  cone,  and  eight 
in  the  shaft,  besides  the  door  and  the  windows.  The 
windows  are  closed  with  iron  shutters.  At  the  door- 
way the  walls  of  the  shaft  are  six  feet  in  thickness.  - 
There  are  two  hundred  and  ninety-four  steps  in  the 
ascent. 

In  fulfilling  his  third  and  final  contract,  Mr.  Savage 
removed  the  gearing  which  had  previously  been  used, 
and  substituted  a  steam-engine  of  six-horse  power,  and 
an  improved  and  ingenious  boom-derrick  of  his  own 
invention.  Through  two  apertures  in  the  cone  he 
passed  a  strong  beam,  in  which  the  fooi    .  the  derrick 


142         The  Monument  upon  Brced^s  Hill. 


■■t 

i 


was  inserted,  turning  on  a  pivot.  This  was  raised 
with  the  completion  of  each  four  courses  of  the  exte- 
rior. A  projecting  arm  attached  to  the  boom  extended 
far  enough  to  clear  the  base  of  the  monument,  and 
was  slightly  inclined  downwards.  The  ropes  passed 
through  shives  at  the  top  of  the  boom  and  the  .extrem- 
ity of  the  lever,  an  .  when  the  stone  was  poised  at  its 
elevation,  it  was  drawn  in  by  means  of  a  wheel  car- 
riage on  the  lever,  which  was  turned  upon  the  pivot  to 
either  side,  and  the  load  was  deposited.  The  steam- 
engine  was  directly  in  the  rear  of  the  monument,  and 
the  ropes  passed  down  through  the  cone,  and  out  at 
the  door- way.  A  bell-wire  passing  up  by  the  ropes, 
communicated  instantaneously  with  the  engine,  and  di- 
rected its  motions.  A  platform  staging,  bound  around 
the  monument  by  cogs  adapted  1o  its  gradual  diminu- 
tion, and  raised  with  each  two  courses  of  the  exterior, 
served  as  a  standing-place  for  the  masons  who  pointed 
the  work  outside. 

This  apparatus  served  till  it  was  necessary  to  cover 
over  the  chamber  at  the  top,  when,  of  course,  the 
boom-derrick  and  cone  could  be  used  no  lonjier. 
The  last  work  of  the  derrick  was  to  draw  up  a  stout 
oaken  beam,  which  was  passed  through  two  of  the 
windows,  and  two  masts,  which  being  rigged  over 
the  projections  of  the  beam  and  lopped  over  the  side 
of  the  monument,  the  remaining  stones  were  slowly  but 
safely  raised,  and  then,  the  masts  being  righted  perpen- 
dicularly, they  were  deposited  in  their  places.  The 
steady  industry  of  the  engine,  and  the  cautious  over- 
sight of  Mr.  Savage,  made  these  last  operations  exceed- 


The  Alonummt  upon  Breed's  HllL         143 


stout 
f  the 
over 
side 
ly  but 
jrpen- 
The 
lover- 
iceed- 


ingly  and  intensely  inieresting.  It  was  at  first  proposed 
tliat  the  raising  and  depositing  of  the  last  stone  should 
be  attended  with  parade,  Ibrmality,  and  a  public  cele- 
bration ;  but  this  was  wisely  discountenanced  by  Mr. 
S  ivage,  who  knew  that  the  caution  and  care  and  pres- 
ence of  mind  which  were  requisite  would  be  l)est 
secured  by  quiet,  and  a  degree  of  privacy.  Accord- 
ingly, the  last  stone  was  raised,  as  we  have  said,  at 
six  o'clock  on  the  morning  of  the  23d  of  July,  1842,  in 
presence  of  the  officers  of  the  Bunker  Hill  Monument 
Association,  and  a  few  other  spectators. 

On  the  17th  of  the  previous  June,  before  the  chamber 
at  the  top  had  been  covered  over,  a  cannon,  which  had 
been  raised  on  the  preceding  evening,  sent  forth  its 
volleys  in  a  national  salute. 

Those  who  enjoyed  the  view  from  the  unclosed 
chamber,  or  from  the  top  of  the  structure  before  the 
last  stone  was  laid,  seemed  to  feel  a  disappointment 
when  the  view  was  contracted  into  the  range  of  vision 
as  confined  by  the  narrow  windows.  But  this  feeling 
will  not  affect  those  who  look  for  the  first  time  through 
the  windows  over  a  scene  which  unites  the  sublime 
and  the  beautiful,  wdiich  embraces  ocean,  islands, 
mountains,  woods,  and  rivers,  cities  and  villages, 
churches  and  school-houses,  palaces  and  happy  cottage 
homes  of  contented  industry,  free  from  the  sceptre  of 
an  earthly  monarch,  but,  therefore,  all  the  more  bound 
in  allegiance  of  gratitude  and  reverence  to  the  King  of 
kings. 

The  whole  cost  of  the  monument  is  set  down  on  the 
books  of  the  treasurer  of  the  Association  at  $133,649.83. 


144         1"^^  Monument  upon  Breed'' s  Hill. 

The  cost  of  the  obelisk  was  about  $120,000.  Other 
expenses  were  incurred  in  grading  the  Hill  and  fencing 
the  precincts.  The  annual  charges  for  a  guardian  of 
the  monument,  and  for  keeping  the  grounds  in  order, 
are  met  by  fees  received  from  visitors  who  ascend  the 
shaft.     These  amounted  in  1874  to  $4,975.30. 


-%■ 


Cambricl(,e :   Press  of  John  Wilson  &  Son. 


Other 

"encing 

dian  of 

order, 

ind  the 


